Hint: The British East India Company was set up in the 17th century to export cotton, silk, indigo, dye, spices, tea, opium, etc and it eventually started ruling the subcontinent until it was officially taken over by the British Crown. Subsequently, there was an increase in the import of finished textiles from Britain. During the British Colonial rule, ships like the HMS Hindostan, HMS Ceylon, HMS Asia, etc were being built in India and by Indian shipbuilders which were then inducted into the Royal Navy.
Complete Answer:
Option A: is incorrect. madras was one of the three main port cities in British India besides Kolkata and Mumbai. Although the Madras Port officially began operations in 1881, it was used as an undeveloped shore since 1639.
Option B: is incorrect. The Kolkata Port, the oldest operating port in India, is believed to have been built in 1690. Later, as Kolkata grew in size and importance, it became one of the capitals of the British raj.
Option C: is incorrect. The Cochin Port was the southernmost port in the western coast of the subcontinent that served as a strategic trade location when the European ships were routed south of the Cape of Good Hope.
Option D: is correct. With the opening of the Suez Canal, the Bombay port became the gateway to India and soon, Bombay emerged as the commercial capital of the country.
Note: Maritime trade in India dates back to the era of the Indus Valley Civilisation when contacts were made with Mesopotamia. It is even mentioned in Vedic records that India had flourishing maritime trade with Arabia and the Middle East. By the 3rd century BC, Indian trade extended up to the Roman Empire. India was first visited by European explorers in 1498 by Portuguese sailor Vasco Da Gama when he rounded the Cape of Good Hope off the continent of Africa and landed in Calicut.
