Citizenship, Belonging and the Sense of Ambiguity among French Tamils of India

Abstract

The French nationals of India are the remnants of French colonialism in India. Today, there are Pondicherrians in the union of independent India who are French nationals, exercising French citizenship rights. While ethnically Indian, they are legally French citizens. This essay has attempted to engage with the case of the French nationals of India, through a review of the documentary film, ‘Two Flags’, and to situate them in the larger contexts of citizenship, nationality and belonging. The essay has been divided into three parts. The first part delves into the community’s history; the second part situates them in the context of citizenship and rights; the third engages with their belonging and politics of belonging.