Where Did the French East India Company first established its factory in India?

The French East India Company, founded in 1664 during the reign of Louis XIV, established its first factory in India at Surat in December 1668 [4]. This was achieved by Francis Caron, who led the expedition and obtained a firman from the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb [4]. Following the success at Surat, the French expanded their commercial footprint by establishing a second factory at Masulipatnam in 1669 [4]. While Pondicherry later became the most significant French settlement and headquarters after its founding in 1674 by Francois Martin, it was not the first [1]. Other trading centers like Chandernagore, Mahe, and Karaikal were established subsequently as the company grew [3]. Therefore, Surat remains the historical site of the first French commercial establishment on Indian soil.

Sources

1. [2] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 16: The Coming of the Europeans > Pondicherry through Madagascar > p. 251
2. [4] Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 3: The Beginnings of European Settlements > The Anglo-French Struggle in South India > p. 59
3. [1] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 14: The Mughal Empire > European Factories/Settlements during Mughal Rule > p. 209
4. [3] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 3: Advent of the Europeans in India > Pondicherry—Nerve Centre of French Power in India > p. 43