The British East India Company played a pivotal role in India's colonization during the 18th and 19th centuries. Initially established as a trading entity, it gradually expanded its influence through military conquests and political manipulation. By the mid-19th century, the Company controlled vast regions of India, implementing significant economic changes, such as restructuring agriculture and trade practices, which often disrupted local economies. The Company's policies favored British economic interests, leading to widespread unrest among Indian populations. The culmination of these tensions resulted in the Indian Rebellion of 1857, leading to direct British government control over India, marking the start of the British Raj.