Question

The East India Company started a triangular trade between India-China-Britain ______
A) to take balance of trade in favour of the company.
B) to get maximum profit.
C) to attain favour from China.
D) to get profit from India.

Answer 1

Hint: Initially, in 1600, the East India Company was founded for British merchants, particularly for the purpose of participating in the East Indian spice trade, adding other products such as cotton, tea, silk and then also for the slaves.

Complete answer:
The East India Company began as a monopoly body of trade, then became a political player, and behaved in India as a British imperialist. Afterwards the enterprise was established and shared with the East Indian spruce trade, which was a monopoly between Spain and Portuguese, until the Spaniard was defeated by England and the English were given the opportunity to smash the monopolies. East India Company was intended as a commercial body for English traders to engage directly in the East Indian spice trade. Later on, it introduced to her wares things like cotton, silk, Indigo, saltpetre, tea and opium and took part in the slave trade as well. The firm became involved in politics from the beginning of the 1700s to the mid-1800s and served as an agent of British imperialism in India.

Thus the correct answer is option ‘A’.

Note: The first English vessel to enter East India was ordered by Sir James Lancaster, who established South East Asia's first English trading post. The East India Company now belongs to an Indian entrepreneur, Sanjiv Mehta.