Commerce with Europe through Dutch, English and French Companies

2020-04-27 12 :35: 09

Factors Responsible for Opening and Dev of Trade

The significant aspect, of foreign trade during this period is the corning of the Europeans this increased India’s foreign trade manifold especially exports.
Exports - Textiles, saltpetre and indigo formed the major share of Indian exports. Other important items were sugar, opium spices and other sundry commodities.
Mughals, Khorasanis, Iraqis and Armenians who carried them to Central Asia, Persia and Turkey were traders before Europeans.
Saltpetre, one of the important ingredients for making gunpowder. Coromandal, Gujarat and Agra used to export these to the Dutch and later the English.
Indigo was very high in demand among the Portuguese, Dutch and English. It was produced in Sarkhej apart from Bayana. Armenians also used to purchase it.
Apart from this opium was bought by the French, Dutch and English from Bihar and Malwa. Ginger was exported by the Dutch. Turmeric, ginger and aniseed by the Armenians.
Iron and fiiodgrains were supplied were exported to Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan.
Imports
Silver was the main item of import other was Copper, Lead and mercury.
Silk and porcelain from China.
wine, carpets and perfumes were brought from Persia.
cut glass, watches, silver utensils, woollen cloths and small weapons from Europe were in demand by the aristocracy in India.
Horses from Central Asia were imported.
Musk was brought from Nepal and Bhutan. Borax was also imported from Tibet and Nepal

French doctor, political philosopher and historian. He lived in India for 12 years from 1658 - 1670 and was physician to Dara Shikoh.
His accounts are in the form of letter to Louis XIV of France and other influential officials and ministers. He described the situation in India as bleak in comparison to Europe.
His book is ‘Travels in the Mughal Empire’ he contantly compared Mughal India with Europe and emphasized superiority of the latter presentin it inferior to the Western world.
His points were lack of private property in India. Which prevented the rise of improving landlords with a concern to maintain and improve the land -> uniform ruination of agriculture, excessive oppression of peasantry and a continuous decline in living standards of all sections of society.
He said that there were only richest of the rich and poorest of the poor and there was no middle state in India