Companies news

France is deeply committed to welcoming Indian students: French envoy

22 July 2020 • by Mint

He further added that the Centre has received requests from many international carriers, including German and American airlines.

Speaking at a webinar on 'French - The Language of the Future' organised by the Embassy of France in India, Alliance Francaise network and the French Institute in India, the envoy said France is ready to do whatever it takes to ensure that more Indians can study in the country.

France is deeply committed to welcoming Indian students and will start issuing visas once the coronavirus crisis is over, French envoy Emmanuel Lenain said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a webinar on 'French - The Language of the Future' organised by the Embassy of France in India, Alliance Francaise network and the French Institute in India, the envoy said France is ready to do "whatever it takes" to ensure that more Indians can study in the country.

"Just before COVID-19, we reached a record number of 10,000 students going from India to France for higher education and we are deeply committed to reach more records once the (COVID-19) crisis is behind us," he said.

"Indian students are very much welcome and next year we will make sure as many friends from India can go to France to study. We will do whatever it takes. If it means having a few weeks of online teaching in the beginning, we will do that but I am very confident that on-site teaching will resume very soon," Lenain said.

He said the situation associated with coronavirus outbreak has improved in France and the country will soon start issuing visas.

"The situation in France has improved a lot and we are careful of a second wave (of COVID-19), but I am confident that very soon we are going to issue visas again for friends from India," he said.

"....Right now what we should do is that we must apply, prepare everything and once the visa opens again, we can push the button and go to France," the envoy added.

Calling French a language of the future, Lenain said it is even more significant in a country like India which is known and respected for its linguistic diversity.