During his visit to India in February at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would introduce visa-free airport transit for Indian nationals, marking a significant step toward easing travel between the two countries.
Following this announcement, France has officially implemented the policy, allowing Indian citizens travelling to other international destinations via French airports to transit without requiring an airport transit visa. This new arrangement has come into effect from April 10, as confirmed by the French Embassy in India.
According to the official statement, Indian nationals holding an ordinary passport are no longer required to obtain an airport transit visa when passing through the international transit zones of airports located within French territory. The exemption applies specifically to passengers who remain within the airport during their layover and do not enter the country.
This measure is expected to simplify travel procedures for a large number of Indian passengers, especially those using France as a transit point while travelling to destinations across Europe, North America, and other parts of the world. Major international hubs such as Paris are likely to see increased convenience for Indian travellers as a result of this policy change.
Reacting to the development, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, welcomed the decision and described it as a reflection of the strong and evolving relationship between India and France. He noted that the move aligns with the broader vision of enhancing people-to-people connectivity and facilitating smoother international travel between the two nations.
The decision to introduce visa-free transit was originally agreed upon during Macron’s visit to India between February 17 and 19, when both countries issued a joint statement supporting the initiative. It was also decided that the policy would initially be implemented on a pilot basis for six months, after which its impact would be reviewed.
In addition to easing travel norms, both countries have also set an ambitious goal of increasing the number of Indian students studying in France to 30,000 by the year 2030, up from the current figure of around 10,000. This reflects a broader effort to strengthen educational and cultural ties alongside diplomatic and economic cooperation.
The introduction of visa-free airport transit is part of a wider push to deepen bilateral relations, especially after India and France elevated their ties to the level of a “Special Global Strategic Partnership” during recent high-level engagements between their leaders.
