France-India relations
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History: France-India relations
Five Former French Colonies In India
The enclaves were Puduchérry, Karaikal, Yanam on the Coromandel coast, Mahé on the Malabar coast and Chandannagar in Bengal.
35th Infantry Regiment (35e régiment d'infanterie)
The Times of India, Jan 27 2016
Manimugdha Sharma
French regiment is `back' after 232 yrs
As the 124-member French military contingent marched down Rajpath amid loud cheers, they became the first foreign soldiers to take part in the Republic Day parade. But here's a fascinating fact--the moment brought the French Army , Indian Army , Pakistan Army , Tipu Sultan and the Swedish monarchy on the same side of history for the first time. The French marching contingent included 76 personnel from the 35th Infantry Regiment of the French Army (35e régiment d'infanterie). This regiment had served in India from 1781 to 1784 in its previous avatar as the 35 Aquitaine Regiment.As part of the Franco-Mysore alliance, it took part in the Second Anglo-Mysore War (1780-84), fought between the forces of the East India Company and the kingdom of Mysore under Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan. The war ran parallel to the American Revolutionary War where the English were fighting their American colonies that were supported by the French.
During the war, Hyder Ali died and Tipu Sultan was forced to retreat to his capital in March when the Bombay Army invaded Mysore. The British decided to seize the opportunity to retake Cuddalore, which had been siezed by Hyder from them earlier. The English advanced on Cuddalore with 1600 European troops and 8,000 Indian troops and were joined by 1,000 cavalry of the Nawab of Arcot. Facing them were nearly 12,000 French and Indian troops, including 2,000 cavalry left behind by Tipu, under the command of Marquis de Bussy .
On June 25, 1783, the French tried to dislodge the British. At 3pm, the Aquitaine Regiment exchanged musket volleys with British and Indian troops and then conducted a bayonet charge. Facing this charge were Indian troops of the 24th Bengal Native Infantry and Madras Army . The charge was repulsed and the French withdrew with 450 men killed or wounded and 150 taken prisoners. Among those captured was Chevalier de Damas, who led the charge, and a young wounded soldier, Jean Baptiste de Bernadotte who later became a marshal in Napoleonic France and eventually became the king of Sweden.
Interestingly , the House of Bernadotte still rules Sweden. Meanwhile, the gallant action of the Indians was acknowledged and praised in England. “It was held as equally singular and extraordinary that the 24th battalion of the Bengal Sepoys, with another belonging to Madras, fought some of the oldest and best troops of France with the bayonet, and foiled them at that favourite European weapon, which is supposed to be the most trying test of the firmness and excellence of soldiers.
It will probably then afford no small satisfaction to many who read this narrative, to be in formed, that the general, in his address of thanks to the army , gave an assurance to those brave sepoys, that he would recommend their distinguished services to the governments of Bengal and Madras, that they , and their families, should be ever supported and rewarded according to their merit,“ reported the Annual Register of 1783 edited by none other than Edmund Burke.
The 24th Bengal Native Infantry later mutinied in 1857 and was disbanded, only to be re-raised in 1861. Today, it continues as the 6 Punjab Regiment of Pakistan Army .
The Aquitaine Regiment was withdrawn in 1784, while Mysore itself fell in 1799. Tipu's cavalry , which aided the French, later became the Mysore Lancers. After Independence, the Mysore, Gwalior and Jodhpur lancers were amalgamated into 61 Cavalry . On Tuesday , they marched immediately behind the French troops, as if it were a tribute to their former allies. Further back marched the brass band of the Madras Regimental Centre, the former nemesis of the French.
2000-19: a special relationship grows
Indrani Bagchi, Sep 5, 2019: The Times of India
Could France be taking over the special place Russia has in the Indian system? It’s been about two decades in the making, but this scratch card may be finally showing its combination.
Consider: Isro wants to go to Venus, and send up a manned space mission. France is a partner. In the Indian Ocean region, France and India have agreed to send up almost 12 satellites to enhance maritime domain awareness. France has offered to share its naval bases with India in Reunion, Abu Dhabi, Djibouti. New Delhi and Paris are on the same page on their Indo-Pacific policies.
Russia doesn’t believe in the idea of the Indo-Pacific, and has been quite irritated with India for pushing what Moscow sees as a US line, while Indian policy is rooting itself in the Indo-Pacific. India is slowly moving away from Russian weapons to Russian energy, which is big. But look at Mozambique for a second. ONGC and Total will operate the Rovuma gas block which holds proven reserves of 75 billion cubic feet, possibly India’s largest investment in Africa.
On the defence front, India has been diversifying away from Russian equipment. But while it has ramped up its defence buys from the US, it is France who seems to be getting some of the big orders. Leave aside Rafale for the moment, the surprise story in the defence space appears to be a joint development of a new generation jet engine in a project unimaginatively dubbed “Infra”. This is important, not only in and of itself but because no one else is in this game and unlike with Russia, India isn’t looking over French shoulders at – China.
Frankly, French industry is actually priced out of the market, comparable to selling regular wine for the price of champagne. To grow, they need lower costs, therefore potentially a partner like India. If India can get its defence manufacturing sector up and running, it’s actually a good fit for French companies to do more here, perhaps even grow their currently shrinking market. It’s no coincidence the outgoing French ambassador Alexandre Ziegler is the new boss at Safran, which is working on the jet engine project with India.
The interesting area is climate change – France sees itself as the global mover and shaker of the climate sector, particularly after the US abdicated its place. But again, it needs scale. India provides the numbers and heft. India is a surprisingly active participant in this space, devising ways to reduce HFC pollution, cleaner maritime transportation and other climate goals. Having delinked itself from China in the climate sphere, India is using the platform provided by France to advance its own goals – prima facie, cleaner growth, with leap-frogging cleaner technologies to creating global space for its development agenda, a favourite of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At the G7 summit last weekend, President Emmanuel Macron showcased India’s voice.
India’s climate activism has global political ambitions – international solar alliance, the coming one-planet summit, etc serving to create alliances around affirmative goals with India playing the lead. India as a climate change agent has huge play in the developed world, allowing India to leverage intent and scale for technology as well as feed its leading power ambition.
With the UK out of the EU, India is also moving its European centre of gravity to France. For its part, France is discovering the way to India’s heart – tourism and students, and a vegetarian option. On terrorism, etc France has been more forthcoming than many others including Russia. If earlier India stuck to Russia for UNSC veto support, France is coming forward to play that role, which gives India space. Moreover, France doesn’t evoke the same reaction in Washington that Russia does, a relief in New Delhi.
France plays an interesting ‘independent’ role, part of the Western alliance yet with its ‘singularities’. For instance, Macron’s attempts to bring Russia back into the G7 or save Iran’s JCPOA finds approval in New Delhi. Not for nothing did foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale declare that India would support “all” of France’s G7 objectives.
The Indian state still holds Russia in its heart, but Moscow is headed in a direction where India will not go. America is a superpower, not always on India’s side. France could become India’s Goldilocks option.
Summits
1998-2017
Kanwal Sibal , Deepening the French connection “India Today” 19/3/2018
October 1998, Paris
President Jacques Chirac-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee Vajpayee's visit to France came just five months after the global opprobrium over India's nuclear tests in May 1998. France was the only western nation that didn't condemn the tests, endorsed India's right to test nuclear weapons and signed a strategic partnership
February 2006, New Delhi
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh-President Jacques Chirac Chirac assures India of France's help in building a consensus in the 44-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) on granting New Delhi access to nuclear fuel and technology for civilian use
September 2008, Paris
President Nicolas Sarkozy-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Singh visits Paris to sign a civil nuclear deal, making France the first country to open nuclear commerce with India in 34 years after the NSG waiver on September 6, 2008
December 2010, New Delhi
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh-President Nicolas Sarkozy India signs a $10 billion deal to buy two nuclear reactors from France following talks between Manmohan Singh and Sarkozy. France supports India's entry into the NSG and a permanent membership for it in the UN Security Council
April 2015, Paris
Prime Minister Narendra Modi-President Francois Hollande France supports India's accession to the NSG, Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), Australia Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement. India signs an MoU with France for buying 36 Rafale fighter jets
June 2017, Paris
Prime Minister Modi-President Emmanuel Macron
Both leaders endorse the 2015 Paris climate agreement and agree to convene a meeting of the world solar alliance and deepen counterterrorism cooperation
YEAR-WISE DEVELOPMENTS
2019: Joint patrolling mission of Indian Ocean Region
After holding their biggest-ever Varuna naval exercise off Goa and Djibouti in May, India and France will soon launch a joint naval patrolling mission in the Indian Ocean Region to protect their strategic interests, said a top French military officer.
The navies from the two countries will also early next year ink a pact to share classified information for better operational cooperation in the region, said vice admiral Didier Malterre, commander of the French joint forces in IOR. “We are preparing to carry out joint patrol in southern Indian Ocean. India is planning to deploy its P-8I (long-range maritime patrol) aircraft,” he said. He also expressed concern over China expanding its maritime influence in the IOR.
Malterre said China had taken to deploying more and more assets in the IOR including destroyers, nuclear submarines and conventional submarines to ostensibly check piracy. “But submarines are not the best tool to fight piracy. So, there is another ambition behind it and we know that,” he said, indicating China had a bigger strategic aim behind its Belt and Road Initiative and the Hambantota port could well be used for “dual” purposes.
On the proposed India-French pact to facilitate sharing of classified information, he said it would be a rare occasion for his country to have such an arrangement with a non-Nato country.
With the two countries sharing the same political objectives in the IOR, the Indian and French navies have expanded the level and scope of their joint exercises to feature aircraft carriers, submarines and amphibious warships on a regular basis.
2025
Modi, Macron sign 10 Pacts including on N-energy to power AI
Sachin Parashar, February 13, 2025: The Times of India
New Delhi : India and France adopted a roadmap for cooperation in AI and concluded nine other agreements, including three to boost civil nuclear cooperation, as PM Narendra Modi and President Emmanuel Macron held bilateral talks, reaffirming their strong commitment to the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Among the major takeaways was an agreement for jointly developing and producing advanced and small modular reactors that could hold the key to powering the energy-intensive AI industry in both countries. The heads of state discussed the West Asia situation and Ukraine war and enhanced their Indo-Pacific partnership with a pact for triangular cooperation to promote sustainable development in third countries in the region.
While no agreement was signed in defence, Modi and Macron welcomed cooperation in building air and maritime assets. The two travelled toget- her in the French presidential aircraft to Marseille where they held talks, visited a war cemetery and inaugurated the Indian consulate. Macron hosted a private dinner for Modi and later went to the Marseille airport to see off the Indian PM who headed to the US.
India, France agree to work on IMEEC corridor, bat for a free, open and peaceful Indo-Pacific
Paris Reiterates Support For India’s Permanent UNSC Seat
Four of the agreements signed were in areas related to technology and innovation. While the leaders didn’t address the media, they acknowledged in a joint statement India-France civil nuclear ties and efforts in cooperation on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, notably in relation with the Jaitapur nuclear power plant project. They welcomed the partnership for co-designing, codeveloping and co-producing advanced modular reactors (AMR) and small modular reactors (SMR). India has been in touch with the US, Russia and France for the past couple of years for jointly developing the technology and the issue is likely to figure in Modi’s engagements in the US too on Thursday.
Foreign secretary Vikram Misri said cooperation in SMR and AMR was important also for AI, recalling International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol’s remark that AI essentially means electricity. “And the amount of electricity that will be needed, if it is going to be sustainable, then it has to be something like nuclear power-driven electricity. And that is the area in which SMRs and AMRs can play a key role. It can also help us tackle complications in conventional projects,” Misri said.
The leaders also agreed to work closely on implementing the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEEC) initiative, stressing its importance for connectivity, sustainable growth and access to clean energy. In this regard, they acknowledged the strategic location of Marseille on the Mediterranean Sea, the joint statement said.
Modi and Macron underlined their common commitment to a free, open, inclusive, secure and peaceful Indo-Pacific region, where France is a resident power. On trilateral cooperation in the region, Misri said the choice of projects will be driven by host countries. “These are demand-driven initiatives and not supply-driven initiatives. And we feel that it is important for us to provide choices to countries, among our partners, with regard to development cooperation pathways. And I think India and France have a certain alignment in their thinking about this kind of cooperation,” he said.
There was focus also on skill development and vocational education as Modi and Macron welcomed the operationalisation of the Young Professionals Scheme (YPS), under the India-France Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement (MMPA), which is expected to facilitate two-way mobility of youth and professionals.
France reiterated its firm support for India’s permanent membership of the UN Security Council as Modi and Macron emphasised the urgent need for reform of the Council. “The two leaders agreed to strengthen conversations on regulation of use of the veto in case of mass atrocities. They held extensive discussions on long-term global challenges and current international developments and agreed to intensify their global and regional engagement, including through multilateral initiatives and institutions,” the joint statement said.
France joined India in unequivocally condemning all forms of terrorism, including, importantly for India, cross-border terrorism, and called for the disruption of terrorism-financing networks and safe havens.
“They further agreed that no country should provide safe haven to those who finance, plan, support or commit terrorist acts. The leaders also called for concerted action against all terrorists, including through designations of individuals affiliated with groups that are listed by the UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee,” the joint statement said.
Macron goes to Marseille airport to see off Narendra Modi
Akhilesh Singh, February 13, 2025: The Times of India
On Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron personally came to Marseille airport to bid farewell to Narendra Modi as the Indian PM took off for Washington, a gesture that symbolised the camaraderie between the two leaders.
Modi’s three-day visit to France began with a dinner hosted by Macron in Paris, where they shared moments of laughter, the bonhomie facilitating the dialogue on serious issues and setting the tone for subsequent engagements, said an official travelling with the PM.
The following day (Tuesday), at the AI Action Summit, both the leaders showcased their countries' collaborative spirit, co-hosting an event that highlighted advancements in artificial intelligence. Their joint appearances continued at the India-France CEOs Forum, where they advocated for stronger economic ties between the nations. “Demonstrating their close ties, they hosted the forum together, reflecting their shared vision for economic collaboration,” a senior govt official said.
The friendship was symbolized further by their travel arrangements. They rode together in a motorcade and flew to Marseille on the same plane, with Macron also hosting a working dinner. “Such proximity and time being given by a leader like Macron for any world leader is rare and rarely has any precedent,” the official said.
In Marseille, the two leaders inaugurated the new Indian Consulate and toured the ITER project, a significant initiative in nuclear fusion research.
The personal involvement of President Macron in each event not only showcased the strength of the India-France relationship but also set a new standard for international diplomacy.
