Colonial Indian Economy through the Lens of R. Montgomary Martin

According to Montgomery “the commerce of India has, for many ages, been deemed of great value; but considering the extent and resources of the country, it was not until recently carried on with England to any large extent”1. In his noteworthy account “the Indian Empire,” he illustrated how the change in the direction of trade and commerce, commodity composition facilitated and speeded up the integration of the Indian economy into the global system in the early 19^th century. Hence, this paper attempts to examine the facts and views put forward by R. Montgomery to show this extensive growth of Indian economy under the umbrella of the colonial rulers especially in beginning of the 19^th century.