In terms of Article 24 of the Treaty of Cession of French Territories in India (1956) the mission of the IFP is to function as an establishment for higher studies and research.

A tool of the French scientific diplomacy, the Institute is reinforcing the Indo-French partnership by its research and training missions. Through its research projects in South Asia, it contributes to making vibrant the cultural and natural heritage of India.

• Indology: Indian Society, History and Culture: Sources and Resources
• Social Sciences: Contemporary Social Dynamics
• Ecology: Environment and Sustainable Development

• The Department of Indology focuses its attention on the key features of classical India, namely, its religions, its literature, its languages (Sanskrit, Tamil, etc.) in order to better interpret and study the foundations of modern India.

• The Department of Ecology concentrates its research on biodiversity and notably on the functioning of fragile ecosystems (forests, mangroves, etc.), by considering man as an important factor in their evolution. It conducts research that aims to understand and evaluate the biological diversity of natural ecosystems as well as those affected by human impact. This research activity has the related aim of contributing to the establishment of schemes for conservation and sustainable management of natural resources. The high priority accorded to research on palaeoenvironments has yielded a rich and varied collection of pollen.

• The Department of Social Sciences promotes research on the major questions of society and on the relations between human societies and their environment: social management of water, urban development, demography and social mobility, finance and debt, impact of industrialization on rural systems, diffusion of new technologies, traditional health care systems, health problems related to the spread of transmittable diseases, etc. In the framework of the USR 3330, it also engages in research on economics, international relations, and socio-political issues.

In keeping with its multidisciplinary nature, the Institute hosts, fully or in part, research projects spread over ten orientations:

• Indology :

- Indian analyses of Sanskrit language and literature

- History of religions

- Tamil studies

- Archeological heritage of South India

• Ecology :

- Laboratory of palaeoecology and palynology

- Laboratory of forestry and botany

- Laboratory of management and conservation of ecosystems and landscapes

- Mathematics and informatics applied to Ecology

• Social Sciences :

- Health, Medicine and Societies

- Urban and Environmental Dynamics and Policies

- Economy, Finance, Debt, Labour and Mobility

- Legal Anthropology and Social Structures

• A Laboratory of Applied Informatics and Geomatics, which applies its expertise in the following areas: digital mapping, utilization of satellite imagery, geographic information systems and modeling, multimedia promotion. It also deploys its computer resources and information technologies within the Institute. Its documentary collection consists of 3 000 maps and several databases.

• Documentary resources, comprising of 3 resource sections:

- The Library: The computerized collection comprises in particular: 60 000 books; 800 journals, of which 250 are regularly subscribed

- The Manuscript Collection: 8 187 palm-leaf manuscripts (the largest collection of texts on Saivasiddhanta in the world and registered as such in the "Memory of the World" register of the UNESCO, with the IFP being regarded as a "Manuscript Resource Centre" by the National Mission for Manuscripts of the Government of India); 1 144 transcripts

- The Photo Archives: a collection of 160 000 photographs, of temples and edifices in South India notably.

Promotion of knowledge The corpus of scientific knowledge at the IFP is made available to social, economic, cultural and political decision-makers in various forms : publications; expertise (in particular, in the area of environment); scientific events ; library ; promotion of scientific culture and technology (information, exhibits, etc.).

Training Within the framework of its research projects, the IFP welcomes, for various tenures, PhDs and masters level trainees of different nationalities (French, Indian, European and others).

The IFP’s research results are circulated through different types of publications :

• In journals to supervisory committees and in the proceedings of national and international congresses
• By the Institute: book series and multimedia CD-ROM; position reports or evaluations; maps with notes on the soils and vegetation of South India.

Additionally, the Institute publishes a news bulletin, « Pattrika », in collaboration with the CSH in Delhi and the EFEO (3 issues per year). The Institute also organizes scientific events on different themes.

The personnel of the IFP consist on average of 80 persons:

• Expatriate personnel on temporary assignment from the MAE
• Indian researchers
• Research assistants (engineers and technicians)
• Administrative and service personnel (archivists, secretarial, maintenance).

Other than the personnel appointed to the Institute or remunerated by it, the Institute welcomes every year some researchers and research assistants on project contract and financed by outside sources, and experienced researchers and students of all nationalities, associated with projects of the Institute and carrying out resident study for various lengths of time. (for further details, see "Staff").

Agreements with French institutions: In addition to its agreements with the CNRS, CIRAD, EFEO, EHESS, EPHE, INALCO, General Council of the Reunion Island, Observatoire des sciences et des techniques, ISSC, the IFP has non-institutionalized partnerships with various other universities.

Agreements with Indian institutions: The IFP has agreements with universities, research institutes and the technical departments of governments (forestry and environment): CEFIPRA, Pondicherry University, Central Institute of Classical Tamil Chennai, Shree Somnath Sanskrit University, Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha Tirupati, Sri Chandra Sekharendra Saraswathi Viswa Mahavidyalaya Kanchipuram, Sri Rangam Srimath Andavan Asramam, Karnataka Forest Department, Sharma Centre for Heritage Education,…

Other cooperation agreements : The IFP works in collaboration with British teams (British Library and Wellcome Trust) and American teams (CEPF and The Regents of the University of California).

Part of the support (direct or indirect) to research projects, is ensured by external resources: Indian (Universities, National Mission for Manuscripts, National Remote Sensing Agency, CEFIPRA); French (Universities, IRD, CIRAD, EFEO, CNRS, ANR, ANRS, MEDD); International (European and American Universities, European Union, World Bank, ILO, Ford Foundation, AUF)

The budget of the IFP is made up of basic subsidies ( mainly from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and external resources (contracts,...). The scientific programmes are in majority self-financed, the basic subsidy being unable to support them anymore. The French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) provides intangible resources (electronic library, lever effect in calls for proposals,...).

On a utilizable area of 3,000 m² divided between a building dating from the 19th century, which was recently renovated, and a wing constructed in 2002-2003, the Institute avails of: 26 offices; three laboratories (computer, palynology, botany); two herbaria, one reading room with 30 seats; one conference room with 40 seats; various rooms for the storage of documents, one of which is for the preservation of valuable collections (manuscripts and photos) and one map library; one photographic laboratory; one exhibition hall; five guest rooms.

The Institute is served by an integrated and state-of-the-art computer network.