History

Relations between India and France date back to the 18th century. The political, commercial and cultural contacts, then established, were maintained throughout the 19th century. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established after the Independence of India.  Since then, co-operation has developed in all the major areas.

It was on the basis of this old bond of trust that France and India decided to take a new step by establishing a strategic partnership in 1998. With the establishment of this partnership, there has been a significant progress in all areas of bilateral cooperation through regular high-level exchanges at the Head of State/Head of Government levels. The growing cooperation and exchanges include strategic areas such as defence, counter-terrorism, nuclear energy and space.

The Embassy of India in France has seen 25 Heads of Mission till date:

SI.

No.

Name of Head of Mission

Date of charge assumption

Date of   charge relinquishment

1.

Wing Commander Mr. Sardar H.S. Malik,

Ambassador

October, 1949

1954

2.

Mr. Y.K. Puri, Cd’A

December, 1954

1955

3.

Wing Commander Mr. Sardar H.S. Malik

April, 1955

1956

4.

Mr. K.M. Panikkar

February, 1956

1959

5.

Mr. N. Raghavan

June, 1959

1961

6.

Mr. Nawab Ali Yavar Jung Bahadur,Ambassador

February, 1961

1965

7.

Mr. Rajeshwar Dayal

June, 1965

1967

8.

Mr. Chandra Shekhar

August, 1967

1969

9.

Mr. Dwarka Nath Chatterjee

February, 1969

1976

10.

Mr. Ramchandra  Dattatraya Sathe

July, 1976

November,1978

11.

Mr. Maharajakrishna  Rasgotra

February, 1979

March, 1982

12.

Mr. Narendra Singh

March, 1982

1985

13.

Mr. l.H. Latif (Retd. Air Chief marshal)

April, 1985

1988

14.

Mrs. Soonu Kochhar

August, 1988

April, 1991

15.

Mr. C.V. Ranganathan

June, 1991

September,1993

16.

Mr. Ranjit Sethi

November, 1993

October,1997

17.

Mr. Kanwal Sibal

March, 1998

April, 2002

18.

Ms. Savitri Kunadi

April, 2002

September,2003

19.

Mr. Dalip Lahiri

May, 2004

July, 2005

20.

Mr. T.C.A. Rangachari

August, 2005

October,2006

21.

Mr. Ranjan Mathai

January, 2007

July, 2011

22.

Mr. Rakesh Sood

August, 2011

March, 2013

23.

Mr. Arun K Singh

April, 2013

April, 2015

24.

Dr. Mohan Kumar

May, 2015

July, 2017


25.

Mr Vinay Mohan Kwatra

July 2017

February 2020


26.

Mr Jawed Ashraf

July 2020

Till Date


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