When and how did the British begin to rule India? Did they invade the country? Was there resistance?

Answer 1

British merchants, Portugese (think Goa), and others began infiltrating India in the 18th Cent. About 1795 (others may correct me) an Englishman named Clive showed up and pretty much subjugated the country. All trade and economic life in India was put under the British East India Company. Local rule continued in the form of the rajahs who were the rulers of their states. This was a private stock company that maintained its own company army in India until, I think, 1857. In that year, an insurrection of Indian soldiers called sepoys, serving under the British, caused Great Britain to send regular British army soldiers to India to restore order and to establish British rule. The Great Mutiny, as it is called, was suppressed.

In summary, there was certainly resistance to each step of the rule of India. There was never an invasion, in the sense of D-Day, but the suppression of the sepoy mutiny was a turning point.

I am an American. My views of history may differ from those of Indian answerers and all others. I ask to be instructed.

Answer 2

The first guy was right, but to shed more light on the "subjugating" Clive and other commanders allied with and played the Indian rulers off each other, along with winning battles here and there with superior weaponery.

Answer 3

50,000 British troops ruled India, pakistan, bangladesh, Can you believe india was able to raise 2 and half million men to fight the japs, but nothing for the british, today they answer phone calls for us because of it. Lucky them.

Answer 4

once upon a time there was a wicked king, who was very greedy and wanted to own the world. so he ordered his army to go forth and distroy and plunder. the world trembled and those who resisted died in their millions.

if only they could have found GANDALF THE GREY AND FRODO BAGGINS