As part of the State visit by the President of the French Republic to India, the French Federal Institute of Technological Universities, IMT, represented by its Executive President, Cécile Dubarry, and its Director of Research, Yann Busnel, took part in the High-Level Academic and Scientific Meetings (RUSH) held on 18 and 19 February 2026 at AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) in New Delhi.
This event, organized alongside the AI Impact Summit, brought together more than 600 experts and decision-makers and marked the launch of the France–India Year of Innovation 2026, placing scientific cooperation on artificial intelligence at the highest level of bilateral dialogue.
The objective: to structure strategic partnerships focused on artificial intelligence, healthcare, and student mobility.
High-level engagement
During the AI Impact Summit, the RUSH meetings provided a dedicated platform for universities and research organizations. They brought together institutional leaders, senior researchers and public decision-makers to discuss the links between higher education, innovation and technological competitiveness.
On this occasion, Yann Busnel led one of the three parallel workshops devoted to Franco-Indian scientific cooperation. Discussions focused on the development of collaborative projects, joint funding mechanisms and shared priorities in key areas such as healthcare, artificial intelligence, aeronautics, as well as industrial and energy transitions.
Alongside the RUSH meetings, several highlights helped to deepen existing partnerships and open up new perspectives:
- a dinner bringing together leaders of major French and Indian academic institutions;
- a meeting with Nitin Seth, Director of CEFIPRA, Claire Giry, Chair and CEO of the French National Research Agency (ANR), and the teams of the French Embassy in India, dedicated to the funding of collaborative research projects;
- B2B meeting sessions with several leading Indian institutions;
- a presentation of the IMT at the Lycée Français International de Delhi ahead of the event.
Strengthening a strategic and lasting partnership
These discussions reflect the collective momentum driven by the IMT: bringing academic, scientific and economic ecosystems closer together to address today’s major challenges — together.
We welcome this strengthened cooperation with India, a key strategic partner for France, both in terms of student mobility and the development of high-level scientific and technological collaborations.
By fully aligning with the strategic partnership between France and India, IMT reaffirms its commitment: all together to imagine and build a sustainable future and to train its key stakeholders.
