Yes, there is substantial evidence to suggest that the Permanent Settlement of 1793 in Bengal, particularly the principle of permanent fixation of land revenue, was indeed highly influenced by the Physiocratic school of economic thinking prevalent in 18th-century Europe.

The Physiocrats, primarily French thinkers like François Quesnay, advocated for an economic system centered on the idea that agriculture was the sole productive sector of the economy. They believed that only land could generate a true surplus (produit net), while other activities like trade or manufacture were considered "sterile." Consequently, they proposed a "single tax" on land, arguing that land ownership was the only legitimate source of wealth and taxation. Furthermore, they championed laissez-faire principles, advocating for minimal state interference in economic affairs to allow the natural laws of the market to operate freely and encourage agricultural prosperity.

Lord Cornwallis, the Governor-General responsible for the Permanent Settlement, was certainly exposed to these contemporary European Enlightenment ideas. The Settlement's core objective to fix land revenue permanently with the Zamindars (landlords) as the proprietors aligns remarkably with Physiocratic principles. The rationale was that a fixed and immutable revenue demand would provide the Zamindars with security of tenure and an incentive to invest in agricultural improvements, knowing that any increase in productivity and surplus beyond the fixed revenue would directly benefit them. This was seen as a way to create a class of improving landlords, akin to the English gentry, who would drive agricultural growth and, by extension, overall economic well-being, thus securing the Company's revenue.

By creating a stable land tenure system and a fixed revenue, Cornwallis aimed to provide the necessary conditions for agriculture to flourish, reflecting the Physiocratic belief that land was the ultimate source of wealth and that its productivity should be encouraged through a predictable tax regime. Though its long-term social consequences were contentious, the intellectual underpinnings of the Permanent Settlement clearly echo Physiocratic thought.