Question

Write about the establishment of trading centres by the Dutch and the French in India.

Answer 1

The Dutch first made their presence in India in 1605 and stayed on till 1825. Merchants from Dutch East India Company initially set up their establishment in Dutch Coromandel, primarily Pulicat. Soon after, Dutch Suratte and Dutch Bengal were set up. Although the establishment was done for the purpose of trading textiles, other items like silk, indigo, precious stones, pepper and saltpeter were also traded.

The French first set foot in India in 1668 and were around for a long time till 1954. They made their presence in five key areas of the Indian Peninsula comprising Coromandel Coast, Malabar Coast, Coast of Orissa, Gujarat and Bengal. A trading center was established in Pondicherry in 1674 and this place eventually became the primary settlement area of the French.