Describe the factors leading to the triangular trade between India, China and England during the colonial period.

(i) Tea trade and profits: In the late eighteenth century, the English East India
Company was buying tea and silk from China for sale in England. with the passage of time tea became a popular drink in England. This resulted in increase of import of tea from 15 million pounds of tea in 1785 to 30 million pounds in 1830. The profits of the company increased accordingly.
(ii) Policy of Chinese rulers and problem of payments : England was then producing
nothing that could he sold to China. At the same time Chinese rulers were suspicious of foreign merchants. They were afraid that the foreign merchants. would interfere in local politics and, therefore, did not allow the entry of foreign goods.
(ii) Opium trade: To maintain the balance of trade, the Britishers thought of trade in opium with China. The Portuguese had introduced opium into China in the sixteenth century. It was used for medicinal purposes. The Chinese were aware of the dangers of opium addiction and the Emperor had forbidden its production and sale. However, the western merchants began smuggling of opium into China. The smuggling increased from 10,000 crates in 1820s to over 35,000 crates in 1855. Thus, opium was taken from India to China and tea from China to England. England exported manufactured goods to India which exported raw materials to England. In this was the triangular trade between India, China and England was established.