History of India

Modern Indian History provides a comprehensive, up-to-date, and compendious account of the history, institutions and culture of India from the decline of the Mughal Empire to the post-independence era. By the last quarter of the 18th Century the English had outdone all others and established themselves as the dominant power in India. India’s Foreign Relations reflect a traditional policy of nonalignment, the exigencies of domestic economic reform and development, and the changing post-Cold War international environment. India’s relations with the world have evolved considerably since the British colonial period (1757-1947), when a foreign power monopolized external relations and defense relations. The Company had de facto control over a few regions, but were not officially independent until after Robert Clive’s victory in the 1757 Battle of Plassey. Another victory in the 1764 Battle of Buxar (in Bihar), further consolidated the Company’s power, and forced emperor Shah Alam II to appoint it the diwan, or revenue collector, of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. The Company thus became the de facto ruler of much of the lower Gangetic plain. It also proceeded by degrees to expand its dominions around Bombay and Madras. The Anglo-Mysore Wars (1766-1799) and the Anglo-Maratha Wars (1772-1818) left it in control of much of India south of the Sutlej River. The book meets the requirements of students of Indian Universities and also who appear for competitive examinations. The subject is dealt with in a simple language.