How much money did the British take from India?

British colonial rule drained India of immense wealth, with economists Utsa and Prabhat Patnaik estimating this "drain" at roughly $45 trillion (in today's value, from 1765-1938), a figure later updated to $64.82 trillion in a 2025 report, highlighting how Britain used Indian taxes and resources to buy Indian goods for its own benefit, effectively transferring wealth through a exploitative trade system.

How much money do Britishers take away from India?

Drawing on nearly two centuries of detailed data on tax and trade, Patnaik calculated that Britain drained a total of nearly $45 trillion from India during the period 1765 to 1938. It's a staggering sum.

How much money has Britain given to India?

Statistics published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) show that the UK has provided about £2.7 billion in bilateral aid to India between 2009 and 2024.

Was India a rich country before British rule?

India was one of the most prosperous countries in the world in 1700 it was the richest country in the world but 27% of global GDP when Britain had 1. 8%. In 200 years of British rule, plunder and dispoliation it was reduced to one of the poorest countries in the world.

How did India end up so poor?

These colonial policies moved unemployed artisans into farming, and transformed India into a region increasingly abundant in land, unskilled labour, and low productivity. This consequently made India scarce in skilled labour, capital and knowledge.

How Britain Stole $45 Trillion from India with Trains | Empires of Dirt

Why was India so valuable to Britain?

The East India Company's control of India significantly impacted the British economy. Britain was able to export vast quantities of goods such as tea and pepper and sell them for a great profit. This profit helped to fund the Industrial Revolution in Britain.

What country does the UK give the most money to?

The UK's top recipient of bilateral aid shifts with crises, but Ukraine became the top country in 2023 due to the Russian invasion, followed by Ethiopia and Afghanistan; traditionally, African nations and countries facing severe humanitarian crises like Syria, Somalia, and Pakistan are major recipients, with Africa generally receiving the most aid regionally.

When did the UK stop giving aid to India?

The Department for International Development (DFID) stopped providing direct financial aid to the Indian government in 2015.

Did Britain ever pay reparations to India?

Tharoor argued that India's contributions to the British war effort significantly damaged the Indian economy. He also noted that Britain incurred a war debt of 3 billion pounds, 1.25 billion of which was owed to India and never repaid.

Who was the richest Indian during British rule?

Roben Orme, the official historian of the British East India Company described Jagat Seth as the greatest banker and money changer known in the world at that time.

Why did the British take over India?

The first British in India came for trade, not territory; they were businessmen, not conquerors. It can be argued that they came from a culture that was inferior, and a political entity that was weaker, than that into which they ventured, and they came hat-in-hand.

Who saved India from British rule?

Some of the greatest freedom fighters of India include Mahatma Gandhi, whose nonviolent to India's independence, Subhas Chandra Bose, who formed the Indian National Army to fight against British rule, and Bhagat Singh, who sacrificed his life for the cause of freedom through revolutionary acts.

Which country gives the most aid to India?

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) compiled and published a data in 2015 indicating that from the period 1946-2012, India has been the recipient of highest aid from United States. The amount of economic aid, adjusted to inflation then, was reported to be USD 65.1 billion.

Why did Britain leave India so quickly?

In 1946, Britain announced it would grant India independence. No longer able to afford to administer the country, it wanted to leave as quickly as possible. The last viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, set the date as 15 August 1947.

Who's richer, Scotland or England?

GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT. SCOTLAND & UK PER HEAD COMPARISON

In 2021 The UK's GDP per head was £33,708 . Scotland's GDP per head excluding North Sea Revenue was £30,793 . Scotland's GDP per head, including a geographic share of North Sea Revenue, was £ 33,033 .

What is the most generous country in the world?

In 2024 Indonesia again tops the ranking, with a score of 74. The volunteer rate in the country (65 percent) is nearly three times higher than the global average (24 percent), and nine out of ten Indonesians made charitable donations in 2023 (year the data was collected).

How much does the UK give to China in aid?

Overview of UK aid spending engaging China

According to official UK bilateral aid statistics, the UK spent £68.4 million on aid to China in 2019, up from £44.7 million in 2015.

Is the British rich because of India?

The UK extracted USD 64.82 trillion from India over a century of colonialism between 1765 and 1900 and USD 33.8 trillion of this went to the richest 10 per cent -- enough money to carpet London in notes of 50 British pound almost four times over.

Does the UK still pay money to India?

Yes, the UK still provides support to India, but it's no longer traditional financial aid to the government, which ended in 2015; instead, it focuses on private sector investments, technical assistance, climate initiatives, and support through multilateral organizations, aiming for both development and commercial returns for the UK. This shift from direct aid to investment and expertise sharing has resulted in a new model of development cooperation, with British International Investment (BII) managing significant portfolios in India, particularly in infrastructure and clean energy. 

Did India save Britain in WWII?

The financial, industrial and military assistance of India formed a crucial component of the British campaign against Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan.

How much does the British owe India?

The report by the international charity said the total wealth funneled out of India between 1765 and 1900 could carpet London's surface area in 50-pound notes, nearly four times over. And $33.8 trillion, or more than half of the total figure, adjusted for today's value, has enriched the U.K.'s wealthiest 10%.

Which country will be the richest in 2050?

By 2050, China is projected to be the world's largest economy by total GDP, followed by the United States and India, with major shifts as emerging markets like Indonesia, Brazil, and Mexico rise significantly, though Singapore and Luxembourg may lead in GDP per capita (average wealth per person).

Who drove the British out of India?

Many believe that Bose was the one who forced the Britishers to leave due to his strong radical approach to achieve India's independence. However, some believed that Gandhi was the only one who helped India to gain independence.