Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

European Managing Agencies invested in tea, coffee, mining, indigo, and jute because these were products required primarily for export trade and not for sale in the Indian domestic market. Their priority was to extract raw materials and agricultural produce for European markets, not to develop India's industrial base.

This pattern shaped Indian industrial growth in a skewed manner — capital goods industries, manufacturing, and industries serving Indian consumers were neglected. Indian businessmen, when they entered industry, had to find gaps (like coarse cotton yarn) since European agencies dominated export-oriented sectors. As a result, India's industrial growth remained limited, dependent, and lopsided until the First World War.

Source: Chapter 4, Section 5 — The Peculiarities of Industrial Growth

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• The key phrase from the textbook is: "Most of these were products required primarily for export trade and not for sale in India" — quote or paraphrase this directly.
• Examiners look for two parts: (1) what the priority was (export/profit, not Indian development) and (2) the consequence on Indian industrial growth (lopsided/limited growth, neglect of domestic market industries).
• Don't write generic points about colonialism — stick to the specific evidence: the types of investment and why those types mattered.
• 3 marks = ~2-3 focused points, no padding needed.