British rule in India began with the commercial activities of the British East India Company in the seventeenth century. Initially focused on trade, the Company gradually gained political power after the Battle of Plassey in 1757. Through alliances, wars, and administrative control, it expanded its influence over large regions. After the Revolt of 1857, the British Crown took direct control, marking the beginning of formal colonial governance. This period introduced centralized administration, new laws, railways, and economic policies that deeply reshaped Indian society and governance structures.