Market Entry & Setup
Market studies, entity setup guidance, banking, tax and location advice to land in France or India the right way.
- Market studies
- Company setup
- Soft-landing desk
The Indo-French chamber for small & medium businesses
Where French savoir-faire meets Indian scale.
Franco-Bharat connects ambitious SMEs, founders and professionals across France and India with the introductions, market intelligence and support they need to trade with confidence.
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Why Franco-Bharat
A chamber built for the businesses big chambers overlook.
Traditional bilateral chambers are designed around multinationals. We exist for the bakery exporting to Bengaluru, the engineering consultancy opening in Lyon, the textile atelier sourcing from Jaipur. Practical help, fair membership and real introductions.
SME-first, not an afterthought
Membership, services and events sized and priced for small and medium enterprises, founders and independents.
Introductions that lead somewhere
Curated B2B matchmaking with buyers, distributors, partners and service providers on both sides of the corridor.
Culture, language & trust
Bilingual guidance that decodes business etiquette, negotiation styles and expectations in both markets.
0+member businesses across France and India
0years building the Indo-French business community
0 bn+consumers in India, the world's most populous market
0 mconsumers reachable from France through the EU single market
The corridor in numbers
Two economies, one growing corridor.
The latest official figures on trade, investment and companies between India, France and the European Union.
India ↔ France
Bilateral goods trade
€0 bn
Total India–France trade in goods in FY 2025-26, up from €12.59 bn two years earlier. Trade has more than doubled in a decade.
India → France €6.14 bnFrance → India €7.53 bn
French companies in India
0+
employing around 450,000 people.
1 dot = 10,000 jobs
Indian companies in France
0+
Indian firms established in France, from IT and pharma to engineering.
1 dot = 10 companies
French investment in India
€0 bn
Cumulative French FDI since 2000, making France the 11th largest foreign investor in India.
Top foreign investors in India · France ranks #11India ↔ European Union
Goods trade
€0 bn
EU–India trade in goods in 2025, up 83.7% in a decade.
2015 → 2025
Services trade
€0 bn
EU–India trade in services in 2024.
EU →€29 bn
→ EU€38 bn
EU investment in India
€0 bn
EU foreign direct investment stock in India (2024).
2021€105.1 bn
2024€132.8 bn
European companies in India
≈0
EU companies operating in India.
1 dot = 100 companiesSources: Embassy of India in France (trade FY 2023-24 to 2025-26, FDI Apr 2000–Mar 2026, French companies) · India–France Economic Report 2026, IFCCI & French Embassy (Indian companies in France) · European Commission, DG Trade (EU–India figures).
What we do
Everything you need to cross the corridor.
From the first market question to the signed contract, our services cover each step of doing business between France and India.
B2B Matchmaking
Pre-qualified meetings with importers, distributors, manufacturers and investors selected for your goals.
- Partner search
- Meeting agendas
- Distributor sourcing
Trade Missions
Delegations, trade-fair pavilions and site visits in both countries.
Regulatory Desk
Guidance on customs, standards, certification and compliance through vetted experts.
Supplier Verification
Factory audits, quality inspections and due diligence before you sign or ship.
06
Talent, Mobility & Cultural Intelligence
Relocation support for founders and teams, translation and interpretation, and cross-cultural briefings that turn first meetings into long-term partnerships.
How it works
From membership to first deal.
A clear, guided path, so you always know what happens next.
1
Join
Choose your membership and tell us where you want to grow.
2
Get profiled
A bilingual advisor maps your goals, products and target regions.
3
Get matched
We line up qualified partners, experts and events for you.
4
Grow
Close deals, scale operations and join a community that has your back.
Focus sectors
Where France and India complete each other.
Our committees bring members together around the sectors with the strongest bilateral potential.
Energy & Engineering
Renewables, oil & gas, nuclear, inspection
Tech & Digital
SaaS, AI, cybersecurity, IT services
Food & Gastronomy
Agri-food, wine, spices, hospitality
Fashion & Textiles
Luxury, crafts, sourcing, design
Health & Wellness
Pharma, medtech, cosmetics, Ayurveda
Education & Skills
Universities, edtech, vocational training
Manufacturing & Supply Chain
Make in India, reshoring, logistics
Tourism & Culture
Travel, events, creative industries
India–EU Free Trade Agreement
The deal that opens a market of two billion.
Negotiations were concluded on 27 January 2026. Here are the key points and what they mean for small and medium businesses on both sides.
2007Negotiations launched
2022Talks relaunched
27 Jan 2026Negotiations concluded
2026Legal review & signature
NextRatification & entry into force
0%
of Indian exports by value get zero-duty or preferential access to the EU.
0%
of EU goods exports to India see tariffs eliminated or reduced.
€0 bn
saved every year in customs duties by European exporters.
0 bn+
people in the combined India–EU market.
Tariffs coming down
Indian import duties on flagship European products, phased in after entry into force.
Carsphased cut
≈10%110%
Winephased cut
20–30%150%
Spiritssharp cuts
Sharply lowervery high today
Indian sectors gaining EU access
Textiles & apparelLeather & footwearGems & jewelleryMarine productsChemicalsEngineering goods
European sectors gaining Indian access
AutomobilesWine & spiritsOlive oilChocolate & pastriesMachinery
Services & mobility
Commitments on IT, professional, financial and business services, plus a mobility framework for skilled professionals.
Protected & excluded
India keeps dairy and cereals out of the deal; the EU excludes beef, poultry, meat and sugar. The EU carbon border mechanism (CBAM) continues to apply.
Still being negotiated
A separate Investment Protection Agreement and a Geographical Indications Agreement.
Sources: European Commission · ISAS, National University of Singapore (Jan 2026). Final tariff schedules apply once the agreement enters into force.
The living bridge
The people who carry the partnership.
Communities, students and travellers are the most powerful connection between India and France.
Indian community in France
≈0
people of the Indian community live in mainland France, plus more than 350,000 people of Indian origin in the French overseas territories, including Réunion, Guadeloupe and Martinique.
Mainland FranceOverseas territories1 dot ≈ 5,000 people
Indian students in France
≈0
Indian students in French higher education, with enrolments up 17% in 2024-25. The joint goal: 30,000 by 2030.
🎓
10,000 today30,000 by 2030
Indian visitors to France
≈0
Indian visitors welcomed in France in 2024, one of the fastest-growing long-haul markets.
▲ +17.6% in Q1 2025Sources: Consulate General of India, Marseille (community, students) · Campus France (2030 target) · Business Today, Oct 2025 (student growth) · Atout France estimate via TourMaG (visitors 2024, Q1 2025).
Every great partnership between nations begins with two businesses deciding to trust each other. We exist to make that moment happen more often.
— The Franco-Bharat team
Membership
Choose your place at the table.
Fair, transparent membership for every stage of growth. Join a network of 700+ businesses already trading between France and India.
Entrepreneur
Explorer
For founders, freelancers, consultants and start-ups testing the corridor.
Member ratesAvailable on request
- Member directory listing
- Networking events & webinars
- Monthly market briefing
- One advisory call per year
Most popular
SME
Growth
For small and medium enterprises actively exporting, sourcing or expanding.
Member ratesAvailable on request
- Everything in Explorer
- Curated B2B matchmaking
- Priority access to trade missions
- Regulatory desk & expert referrals
- Featured company spotlight
Corporate
Partner
For larger companies and institutions who want to champion the SME ecosystem.
Member ratesAvailable on request
- Everything in Growth
- Event & programme sponsorship
- Seat on a sector committee
- Dedicated relationship manager
Membership is open all year — join 700+ businesses already growing with Franco-Bharat.
Programme
Meet the people who move the corridor.
Our programme blends in-person gatherings with digital formats, so members in Lyon and Lucknow alike can take part.
In person
Annual · dates to be announced
Members' annual evening
Our yearly gathering of members, partners and friends of the chamber in France.
Register interestOnline
Monthly webinar series
Doing business in India · Réussir en France
Practical sessions with experts on setup, tax, hiring, logistics and culture in each market.
Register interestDelegation
2027 · registrations opening soon
SME trade mission to India
A curated delegation of French SMEs meeting buyers and partners in India's key business hubs.
Register interest
Daily briefing
India–France business news.
Headlines from across the corridor, refreshed automatically every day.
UpdatedHeadlines link to the original publishers. Franco-Bharat is not responsible for external content.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Can't find what you're looking for? Write to us and a bilingual advisor will reply.
Any company, founder, freelancer or institution with an interest in trade, investment or collaboration between France and India, whether you are based in France, in India or elsewhere.
We are designed around small and medium businesses: accessible membership, hands-on support and introductions sized for SMEs rather than multinational programmes.
Depending on your level: access to our network of 700+ members, curated introductions, events and trade missions, our regulatory desk and expert referrals.
Yes. All our services are delivered in English and French, and we can arrange support in Indian languages through our network.
Yes. Our B2B matchmaking identifies and pre-qualifies partners, and our supplier verification service can audit them before you commit.
Get in touch
Let's build your bridge.
Tell us about your business and ambitions. We'll come back with the right next step, whether that's membership, a matchmaking brief or simply a conversation.