180% jump in number of Indians seeking visa for France in last 5 years: French Embassy

Indian visa applications to France have seen an increase of over 180 per cent in the last five years, demonstrating that the country is growing in popularity here, a statement from the French Embassy said Tuesday.

From 2017 to 2018, there was a rise of over 54.5 per cent in the number of visas issued to Indian students headed for France, the statement said.

"In 2018, we registered 8,000 student and research visas for talented young Indians. Though twice as much as a couple of years back, this is still too little. We want to reach 10,000 by 2020, but why not 20,000 in 2025?" French Ambassador Alexandre Ziegler said.

Our doors have always been open to Indian students, and our courses, many fully taught in English, are among the world's best, he added.

"France's very high educational standards and the French government's subsidies make studies much more affordable for Indian students than that in many other countries. Moreover, the agreement on the Mutual Recognition of Academic Qualifications between India and France, signed during President Emmanuel Macron's India visit, will enhance the already close ties between our two nations," he said.