India-France Partnership to Strengthen Higher Education and Research

Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi held a bilateral meeting with France’s Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space, Philippe Baptiste in New Delhi. The meeting focused on ways to further strengthen cooperation between India and France in education, higher education, research, innovation and academic collaboration.

French Minister Philippe Baptiste is on a three-day visit to India from September 28 to 30, 2026. During the meeting, Pralhad Joshi highlighted the long-standing relationship between India and France and said that education remains an important pillar of the bilateral partnership.

India-France Innovation Year to Boost Education Cooperation

Shri Pralhad Joshi said the India-France Innovation Year 2026 provides an important opportunity to deepen cooperation in education, research and innovation. He also thanked the French Government for its support in hosting the inaugural ceremony of India Innovates 2026 in Nice, France.

The India Innovates platform provided Indian deep-tech startups with an opportunity to showcase their innovations on a global stage. It also helped promote wider India-France collaboration in education, research, innovation and emerging technologies.

Focus on Student and Researcher Mobility

The meeting discussed strengthening institutional partnerships in higher education, increasing the mobility of students, teachers and researchers and expanding opportunities for joint academic programmes and exchanges. Both sides also explored possibilities for greater cooperation in life sciences, social sciences and humanities.

The two sides also discussed strengthening existing institutional partnerships and creating new avenues for joint academic and research initiatives to promote research, innovation and knowledge sharing.

Discussion on Campuses of French Universities in India

India invited French higher education institutions to establish branch campuses in the country, including in Gujarat’s GIFT City as well as locations where French companies are present and have a demand for technically skilled human resources.

The two sides also discussed opportunities to strengthen language education and teacher training, share academic expertise and promote technology-enabled education. The discussions also covered the amendment of the Mutual Recognition of Qualifications (MRQ) agreement, sharing experiences and best practices in digital education and leveraging technology to expand access to quality education.

The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming their commitment to further deepen India-France cooperation across education, higher education, research, innovation, academic mobility, language education and digital education.