RNG

Banned
What if the French took India? How would they have acquired it? Depending on that would the relationship between Britain and France not grow close and so the entente might never have been formed leading to settled agreement with Germany after they invade Belgium? Perhaps Britain sides with the Central Powers instead? Or would World War One be butterflied away or a different kind of war might replace it? How would British cultural change without the influences of India? Of course they wouldn't have curry or tea however might there be a different viewpoint on immigration perhaps and so other foreign influences don't happen, like Chinese? French culture would be different, obviously, as they would have curry and tea, and they would have a large Indian population instead of Britain, however how would this affect other foreign influences, or French views in general, pro or anti immigration. Also how religion fare, would Catholicism be pressed on the people or would it not considered like the British? What would British and French relationships be other nations like America? How would the world change with a French India? What you think?
 
Last edited:
Well, we could have France somehow win the Seven Years' War. Butterflies for this would be enormous, such as potentially stifling the American Revolution (due to not having Quebec and the Ohio territories to fight against mommy Britain with), the British East India Company's power being tempered, and so on...
 
Well I know that the French certainly fought the British in several wars for influence in India. I'm not nearly well versed enough in the history of the region (or the time period for that matter) to say exactly what might have happened, but I think it is very safe to say that Britain would not be nearly so dominant as they were historically without the jewel of their empire.

WW1 would almost certainly be butterflied. France though would likely have less resources to devote to exerting influence in India. Much more of their military has to be focused on the European Continent and so less could be devoted to colonial adventures. Then again they could have done it, especially since India's profits would more than pay for their own defense twice over.

France would be even more powerful and influential than they already were. That much at least is certain.
 
May sound weird, but I'm most interested in the development of cuisine.

A lot of anglo-indian cuisine has become international, weirdly being better known in many ways than Indian cuisine itself (and many of its staple foods being made by English chefs in the UK).
Having a French influence to it may be interesting. French cuisine is generally associated with fine dining whilst British food is (unjustly considering how much its chef train other countries chefs and its considerable influence to fine dining internationally) considered bad. In such a TL, Indian Restaurants may be associated more with fine dining than OTL.
 
The nature of French rule over India would be far different—they were more focused on trade. You might see a less “stifled” India in some economic respects (but then again more repressed in other areas like religion).

If a French Revolution still happens (which it may not), they might lose control over the subcontinent which would also have massive effects on the world.
 
May sound weird, but I'm most interested in the development of cuisine.

A lot of anglo-indian cuisine has become international, weirdly being better known in many ways than Indian cuisine itself (and many of its staple foods being made by English chefs in the UK).
Having a French influence to it may be interesting. French cuisine is generally associated with fine dining whilst British food is (unjustly considering how much its chef train other countries chefs and its considerable influence to fine dining internationally) considered bad. In such a TL, Indian Restaurants may be associated more with fine dining than OTL.

Carême really started the french tradition of cuisine by creating "Mother sauces", in which Indian spices could be very welcomed additions. But beware of the Nouvelle cuisine critic of these sauce-heavy dishes !
 
May sound weird, but I'm most interested in the development of cuisine.

A lot of anglo-indian cuisine has become international, weirdly being better known in many ways than Indian cuisine itself (and many of its staple foods being made by English chefs in the UK).
Having a French influence to it may be interesting. French cuisine is generally associated with fine dining whilst British food is (unjustly considering how much its chef train other countries chefs and its considerable influence to fine dining internationally) considered bad. In such a TL, Indian Restaurants may be associated more with fine dining than OTL.
By the time the French would gain hegemony (2nd half of the XVIIIth century), French cuisine would be developed a bit already. Interestingly enough, there are already tropical influences through the islands of Réunion and the French Caribbean.
With India in, it might replace the role Arab cuisine has in France.

For a PoD, do not recall Dupleix!
 
I imagine Franco-Indian cuisine being much like British “Indian” dishes like chicken tikka masala - bland, to say the least, by Indian standards. It would also have more South Indian influence - imagine dosa and idli rather than biryani and tandoori chicken.

This all depends on your POD. With a Seven Years War POD, France can dominate much of South India but no more. I guess they could, if lucky, conquer Hyderabad, but I see nothing more than that. With an earlier POD, all of India can be taken.

I’m also thinking there would be more mixed-race people, with France being open to brown Frenchmen IOTL.
 
A European power would need uncontested naval superiority to keep India IMO. If France had that power, the changes would be huge
 
Top