Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi and French Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space Philippe Baptiste met in New Delhi on Monday to discuss enhanced cooperation between India and France in education, research, innovation, academic mobility and institutional partnerships.
Welcoming the French Minister and his delegation, Joshi highlighted the longstanding India-France partnership, emphasising that cooperation in education remains a vital pillar of bilateral relations. He referenced the India-France Year of Innovation 2026 as a timely opportunity to deepen collaborations in education, research and innovation.
Stay connected
Make The News Mill your preferred source
See more TNM stories when you search for news on Google.
The discussions focused on potential initiatives in higher education, including strengthening institutional linkages, facilitating mobility of students, faculty and researchers, as well as expanding opportunities for collaborative academic programmes and exchanges. Both ministers explored greater cooperation in life sciences, social sciences and humanities, emphasising institutional interaction and joint research activities.
They exchanged views on advancing knowledge partnerships, building on existing institutional collaborations and creating new avenues for joint academic and research initiatives. French higher educational institutions were invited to consider establishing branch campuses in India, particularly in GIFT City, Gujarat, and other locations where French companies require skilled technical personnel.
Acknowledging the importance of people-to-people ties, the ministers explored ways to strengthen language learning and teacher education, share academic expertise and promote technology-enabled learning. The talks also addressed revising the Mutual Recognition of Qualifications Agreement between the two countries, sharing best practices in digital education and leveraging technology to expand access to quality learning.
The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to further deepen cooperation between India and France in higher education, innovation, language education and digital learning.
