Question

What objectives did the British intend to achieve through their policies of infrastructure development in India?

Answer 1

One cannot deny the fact that under the British rule, there was significant change in the infrastructural development in the country. But the bonafide motive of the British behind the infrastructure development was only to serve their own colonial interests. There was infrastructural development in the fields of transport and communication. The roads served the purpose of facilitating transportation of raw materials from different parts of the country to ports, and ports were developed for easy and fast exports to and imports from Britain. Similarly, railways were introduced and developed for the transportation of finished goods of British industries to the interiors of India. Railways assisted British industries to widen the market for their finished products. Post and telegraphs were developed to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the British administration. Hence, the aim of infrastructural development was not the growth and development of the Indian economy but to serve their own interest.