Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c13.s3.t2.137

v2.c13.s3.t2.137

The importance of Bombay (Mumbai), the leading port city of western India to India-China interactions lies in the flourishing maritime trade between this part of India and the south China coast from the late 18th century to early 20th century. Bombay, a Portuguese settlement from the 16ᵗʰ century CE, came into the possession of the British East India Company in the latter part of the 17ᵗʰ century CE. However, it is only in the second half of the 18th century that it emerged as the pre-eminent port of western India, largely on the basis of trade with China in raw cotton and opium.