The advent of Europeans in India

 The advent of Europeans in India began in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, marking the start of a new era in Indian history characterized by trade, colonization, and cultural exchange.

Key Points about the Advent of Europeans in India:

1. Portuguese Arrival (1498)

   • Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese explorer, arrived at Calicut (Kozhikode) on the Malabar Coast in 1498.

   • This opened sea trade between Europe and India, breaking the traditional Arab and Venetian trade monopolies.

   • The Portuguese established key coastal outposts such as Goa, Daman, Diu, and Cochin, focusing largely on controlling the spice trade.

2. Other European Powers

   • Following the Portuguese, other European powers came to India aiming to establish trading posts and expand influence:

     • Dutch: Established trading posts on the Coromandel Coast and in Surat.

     • French: Set up their first settlement at Pondicherry (1674), later Chandernagore, Yanam, Mahe, and Karaikal.

     • British: East India Company established trading factories in Surat (1613), Madras (1639), Bombay (1661), and Calcutta (1690).

3. Competition and Conflicts

   • The European powers frequently clashed over trade and territorial control:

     • Battle of Plassey (1757) led to British East India Company's dominance in Bengal.

     • Battle of Wandiwash (1761) marked the decline of French power in India.

   • The British gradually outcompeted other European rivals to emerge as the dominant colonial power.

4. Political and Economic Impact

   • The decline of the Mughal Empire and the fragmentation of India into regional kingdoms created a political vacuum.

   • Europeans exploited this to establish commercial dominance, which gradually turned into political control.

   • Events like the granting of Diwani (revenue rights) of Bengal to the British East India Company in 1765 marked the beginning of British political power in India.

5. Colonial Era

• Over the next two centuries, the British expanded their control over almost the entire Indian subcontinent.

• British colonial rule formally began with the establishment of the British Raj in 1858 after the revolt of 1857.

• European presence greatly transformed India’s economy, society, culture, and politics.

The Europeans started primarily as traders but gradually became political rulers, fundamentally changing the trajectory of Indian history from the 16th century onward