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According to Education Ministry, GIFT City is among the locations being considered, along with places where French companies are present and require technical human resources.
Pralhad Joshi highlighted the India-France Year of Innovation 2026 as an opportunity to deepen cooperation in education, research and innovation. (PTI file photo)
India and France have discussed a proposal to set up an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) campus in Nice, while French higher education institutions have been invited to explore establishing branch campuses in India, including at GIFT City in Gujarat.
The proposal for an IIT campus in Nice was discussed during a meeting between Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi and France’s Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space Philippe Baptiste in New Delhi on September 28. Joshi said the talks focused on strengthening India-France cooperation in education, research and innovation, including student and faculty mobility, institutional partnerships and joint research.
The Education Ministry has not specified which IIT could establish the proposed Nice campus or provided details on its timeline, academic programmes or approvals. The proposal comes as Indian higher education institutions expand their presence overseas. IIT Madras has a campus in Zanzibar and IIT Delhi has an overseas campus in Abu Dhabi.
At the same meeting, India invited French higher education institutions to explore opening branch campuses in the country. According to the Ministry of Education, GIFT City in Gujarat is among the locations being considered, along with places where French companies are present and require technical human resources.
The move comes as India expands its foreign university campus framework. In August, the government said the University Grants Commission had issued 16 Letters of Intent to foreign higher education institutions from Australia, Italy, the UK and the US. The University of Southampton and the University of New South Wales have already established campuses in Gurugram and Bengaluru, respectively.
Engaged with H.E. Mr. @PhBaptiste, Minister for Higher Education, Research and Space of France, to further strengthen the India-France partnership in education, research and innovation.Discussed expanding student and faculty mobility, strengthening institutional partnerships… pic.twitter.com/UDxU3FzjJ0
— Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) September 28, 2026
GIFT City has also emerged as a location for international higher education institutions, with foreign universities operating under a separate regulatory framework for the International Financial Services Centre.
The India-France discussions also covered the ongoing revision of the Mutual Recognition of Qualifications (MRQ) Agreement between the two countries. The ministers discussed strengthening student, faculty and researcher mobility, expanding collaborative academic programmes and exchanges, and increasing cooperation in life sciences, social sciences and humanities.
The two sides also discussed language learning, teacher education, sharing academic expertise and technology-enabled learning. Joshi highlighted the India-France Year of Innovation 2026 as an opportunity to deepen cooperation in education, research and innovation.
The discussions took place during Baptiste’s three-day visit to India from September 28 to 30. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation in higher education, innovation, language education and digital learning.
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