Towards the end of the 15th Century, the European Countries began to explore the world outside the continents mainly the mysterious land of spices! After Vasco Da Gama, India welcomed many Europeans to settle and trade.

The French were one of them. French possessions in India refer to French India. They established colonies at Pondichery ( Puducherry), Karikal, and Yanaon (Yanam) on the Coromandel Coast, Mahe on the Malar Coast, and Chandernagor in Bengal. Settled as the traders, the French gradually took control of the administration of their colonies in including the issuance of stamps.

French India issues begin with the 19 stamps "Navigation and Commerce" colony design generic to many French colonies. The stamps were overprinted with “ETABLISSEMENTS DE L’INDE” means the settlement of India. The stamps shown above are the first stamps designed and issued specifically for India.

In the year 1914 French India issued a set of 10 stamps with the denominations ranging from 1 French centime to 30 French centimes. The stamp depicts God Brahma sitting under the arch of a temple on his vehicle – the goose. The denomination in the top right corner and the inscription “ETABLISSEMENTS DE L’INDE” is printed at the bottom.

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