Did the East India Company gain control of large parts of India?

The East India Company, originally formed in 1600 to trade with Asia, gradually transformed from a commercial enterprise into a major political and military power in India. Think of it like a business slowly taking over a country! By the mid-18th century, following key victories like the Battle of Plassey in 1757, the Company began to exert significant control over Indian territories. Over the next century, through a combination of treaties, alliances, and military conquests, the East India Company extended its influence across large swathes of the Indian subcontinent. They essentially became the de facto rulers of many regions, collecting taxes, administering laws, and even maintaining their own private army. While the British Crown technically oversaw the Company, it was the Company's actions that shaped much of India's history during this period. So, the statement is true because the East India Company did indeed gain control of large parts of India, not just economically, but politically and militarily as well. It's easy to underestimate just how much power a trading company could wield back then!