De-Industrialization: The Curse of Colonial Rule

The longevity of the colonial rule over India affected the vitals of the Indian economic infrastructure. The long period of British rule over India provided enough time to the British to establish strong and stable institutions for the governance of India. During the British rule India provided an equipped captive market for British goods made from Indian raw materials. The resultant enrichment and industrial development was to take place in Britain and not in India. Thus at the dawn of independence, India inherited an economy that had the worst features of industrialization and poverty of immense intensity.