Question

Explain the following statement with a reason.

Indian rulers found it difficult to fight the Portuguese.

Answer 1

1. In the first part of the seventeenth century, an average of five ships arrived in India from Portugal every year. These ships had guns.
2. The Portuguese started building ships in Daman, Vasai, and Goa. The best, most durable teak wood needed for the project was available here.
3. Soldiers wearing Portuguese armour were transported from Portugal to India. The Dutch and English beat the Portuguese in naval wars in the Indian Ocean in the seventeenth century.
4. Except for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, other Indian powers lacked their own armour at the time. That made it impossible for the Indians to confront the Portuguese.
5. The Portuguese also established forts and trading posts along the western coast of India, which helped them control trade and secure strategic locations.
6. They introduced new navigation techniques and military strategies, which gave them an advantage in both sea battles and territorial control over Indian coastal regions.