By the late 19th century, India was one of the largest producers and exporters of

By the late 19th century, India's economic role had been transformed from an exporter of finished textiles to a major supplier of raw materials for British industries [2]. While the export of hand-woven cloth collapsed due to British tariffs and competition from Manchester mills [4], India became a leading producer and exporter of raw cotton and agricultural commodities like wheat [2]. Simultaneously, early Indian-owned cotton mills emerged in the late 19th century; these mills focused on producing coarse cotton yarn rather than fabric to avoid direct competition with British imports, making yarn a significant export to markets like China [3]. In contrast, the modern iron and steel industry only began to take shape in the early 20th century with the establishment of TISCO, as the 19th-century sector was dominated by British railway imports.

Sources

1. [2] India and the Contemporary World – II. History-Class X . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: The Age of Industrialisation > 5 The Peculiarities of Industrial Growth > p. 97
2. [4] India and the Contemporary World – II. History-Class X . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: The Age of Industrialisation > 3.3 Manchester Comes to India > p. 92
3. [3] Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science, Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: The Colonial Era in India > LET'S EXPLORE > p. 100