India has a population of over 1.4 billion, with more than 65 per cent of its population below 35 years of age and 50 per cent of its population below 25 years of age. It has the largest population in the world in the age bracket of 5-24 years, with 580 million people, presenting a huge opportunity in the education sector. The education market in India is expected to amount to $225 billion by FY25.
As per government data, over 1.3 million Indian students were pursuing higher studies abroad in 2024, while it was about 0.9 million in 2022. In 2025, it is estimated that the figure will be 1.9 million students. The total spending by Indian outbound students could reach $70 billion by 2025. Indian preference to study abroad is largely dominated by English-speaking countries—often called the ‘big four’, namely, the US, UK, Canada and Australia.
This is changing due to visa restrictions, changes in work policies, as well as heightened geopolitical tensions. More than 70 per cent of Indian students were going to the Big Four; it's now reduced to less than 50 per cent. The United States has seen its popularity plunge, with student numbers falling by 63 per cent between 2023 and 2025. Similarly, Canada saw a staggering 41 per cent fall in 2024 intake due to geopolitical tensions between India and Canada and rising housing prices there. This has made Indian students look for other destinations beyond the big four for their higher education abroad.
Of late, the choice of study abroad destinations is becoming more diversified, with many European countries attracting Indian students. Indian students are exploring non-English speaking destinations based on international reputation and the high academic standards of their universities. Countries like Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, etc., are seeing a rise in the number of Indian students. The recently concluded negotiations on the India-EU free trade agreement give further impetus to trade, economic and people-to-people ties between the two markets.
In this context, interest in France as a preferred destination for higher education is rising, as it is gaining attraction for providing affordable, quality and alternative destinations for Indians to pursue education abroad. In 2024-2025, 443,500 foreign students were enrolled in French higher education institutions from around the world, and it is among the top destination countries for international students. In 2023, to mark the 25th anniversary of the Indo-French partnership, both countries adopted a roadmap to strengthen the bilateral relationship up to 2047, termed ‘Horizon 2047’. Key identified areas were science, technological innovation and academic cooperation as vectors of progress between the two.
France is home to leading academic institutions, be it in management, engineering, hospitality, political science, etc. It provides quality education to international students with inclusivity and diversity at the heart of its objectives. As Professor Isabelle Huault, President of Emlyon Business School, suggested, "France offers quality education and a gateway to Europe for international students. Several French universities and Grandes Ecoles, like Emlyon Business School, place highly in the most reputable international rankings. Emlyon Business School takes the employability of our students seriously and at the core of our objectives. We invest in their competencies and skill development by offering tailor-made programmes and courses, coupled with world-class faculty, research and infrastructure that we offer. Hence, we focus on the need for contextually and industry-relevant academic and training programmes, be it on AI, Tech, climate finance, sustainability, social entrepreneurship, etc., that will improve competencies and skills, eventually fostering better talent offering for the market."
In light of the recent visit of President Macron to India, it further highlighted the greater and deeper academic collaborations between India and France, be it students choosing France for higher education, academic and scientific collaboration, etc. In addition, 2026 is declared as the ‘India-France year of Innovation’ that further adds to this dynamic. This year will feature a series of high-impact collaborations in India and France spanning diverse sectors such as Innovation, Science and Technology, Cyberspace and Artificial Intelligence, Healthcare, Sustainable Development, Cultural and Creative Economy, and Research and Education.
France has set a broader target of welcoming 30,000 Indian students by 2030. It has been announced that it will streamline visa procedures to make them more practical and aligned with students’ expectations. Indian students would have access to world-class teaching, leading research centres, and strong interdisciplinary collaboration. Leading French institutions are also emphasising offering diverse academic programmes in English to make higher education more accessible.
As the world becomes more fragmented, Indian students are increasingly becoming aware of the huge opportunities and choices beyond the Big Four destinations for higher education and exploring career prospects. Indian students are showing greater interest in France to pursue education abroad. France, in particular, and Europe in general, offer a huge scale and scope of opportunities that Indian students are now discovering. For this, the sky is the limit!
Mohit Anand is professor of international business and strategy at EMLYON Business School, France. Rajesh Mehta is an international affairs expert working on innovation and public policy.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK.