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[[File:Clive.jpg|thumbnail|Clive of India after Plassey]]<ref>By Francis Hayman - Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=565912</ref>The British first established trading posts in India, in order to purchase spices that were much in demand in Britain and Europe. They first came to trade and not to conquer. The Anglo-Indian trade was monopolised by the East India Company. This was a company, that was owned by private shareholders, including wealthy merchants and aristocrats. Over time, the company earned spectacular profits from the trade with India and they became increasingly influential in the affairs of Britain. They eventually even established a private army, at first to defend its interests, but later they were used for offensive purposes. The East Indian Company had an army by the 1750's, that was comprised of British officers and Indian soldiers. The forces of the Company in the 1750's were led by Rober Clive (later Clive of India). In 1757, Clive, who proved to be a brilliant general, defeated the Nawab of Bengal and his French allies at the Battle of Plassey. This victory turned the Company into perhaps the strongest power in India. Soon Clive and other Company commanders defeated Indian, French and other forces that were contesting British influence in India .<ref> Bence-Jones, Mark. ''Clive of India''.(London, Constable & Robinson Limited, 1974), p. 89 #.</ref>".  By 1760, much of the sub-continent was under the direct or indirect influence of the East India Company <ref> Bence-Jones, p. 45#.</ref>". The Company was in turn influenced by the British government, who used it to further its interests in India. London effectively let the East Indian Company rule Indian in its name. In the remaining decades of the eighteenth century, the British, through the East India Company expanded their influence. They were resisted by native monarchs such as Tipu Sultan and the powerful Sikh Empire. Arthur Wellesley, later the Duke of Wellington, achieved significant victories against those Indian states that defied British influence <ref> Harrington, Jack. ''Sir John Malcolm and the Creation of British India '' (New York, Palgrave Macmillan, 2010), p. 119#.</ref>". By 1800, the majority of the Indian sub-continent was under the de-facto control of the East India Company, which was supervised by the British government. It must be remembered that the Company did not seek to conquer India, they sought to exploit the subcontinent's wealth and to extend their influence. There was no concentered policy to dominate India and its rulers, rather they came to gradually rule, because of their own strengths and the Indians weakness . <ref>Faught, C. Brad . ''Clive: Founder of British India''. (Washington, D.C.: Potomac Books, Inc. 2013), #.</ref>".p. 34 . [[File:Clive.jpg|thumbnail|Clive of India after Plassey]]<ref>By Francis Hayman - Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=565912</ref>"