Empire and Gunpowder: Military Industrialisation and Ascendancy of the East India Company in India, 1757-1856

This book explores the relationship between technology, warfare, and the state in South Asia during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, focusing on how gunpowder and artillery played a key role in the military ascendancy of the East India Company. It argues that the Indian military landscape was dynamic, with indigenous polities attempting to transform their systems by modeling them on European lines. The Company established an edge through efficient bureaucracy and standardization, while Indian powers focused on continuous innovation and failed to introduce standardization of production. The book uses archival records from India and the UK to provide a new understanding of the rise of the British Empire in South Asia.

Format: Hardback
Length: 198 pages
Publication date: 19 July 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive book delves into the intricate relationship between technology, warfare, and the state in South Asia during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It explores the profound impact of gunpowder and artillery on the military ascendancy of the East India Company in India, highlighting their pivotal role in shaping the region's political and military landscape.

The monograph argues that the contemporary Indian military landscape was characterized by immense dynamism, with indigenous polities such as Mysore, the Maratha Confederacy, and the Khalsa Kingdom striving to modernize their military systems by emulating European models. It sheds light on how the East India Company gained a competitive edge through its efficient bureaucracy and standardized manufacturing system, while the Indian powers, despite their continuous innovation, failed to introduce similar production standards.

By drawing on extensive archival records from India and the United Kingdom, this volume makes a substantial contribution to our understanding of the rise of the British Empire in South Asia. It appeals to scholars and researchers in the fields of history, particularly military history, military and strategic studies, and South Asian studies, offering valuable insights into the complex interplay of technology, warfare, and state-building in this region.

Weight: 560g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032132693