How did the industrialisation in Britain affect the export of Indian cotton and textiles ? What was then exported from India ?
(a) The industrialisation in Britain affected the export of Indian cotton and cotton textiles in the following ways : With industrialisation, British cotton manufacturers began to expand. The industrialists pressurised the government to restrict cotton imports and protect local industries. Tariffs were imposed on cloth imports into Britain. As a result of above steps, the inflow of fine Indian cotton began to decline. The share of exports of cotton textiles declined from 30 per cent around 1800 to 3 per cent by the 1870s due to stiff competition in the international markets. (b) With the decline in the exports of manufactures the following products were exported : Between 1812 and 1871, the share of raw Cotton exports rose from 5 per cent to 35 percent. Indigo was exported for dying cloth. From 1820s British grew opium in India and exported it to China and with the money earned through this sale, it financed its tea and other imports from China.
