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Question 75 of 108 · Arrival of Europeans & Expansion of British Rule
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In 1761, the English East India Company captured Pondicherry (Puducherry), the chief settlement in India of the:

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Answer: Option C — French

Detailed Solution

In January 1761, the English East India Company captured Pondicherry (Puducherry), the chief settlement and headquarters of the French in India, during the Third Carnatic War.

Background:

  • The French East India Company had made Pondicherry its headquarters in India in the late 17th century.
  • The English and the French fought three wars in south India, the Carnatic Wars (1746-1763), for control of trade and political influence.

The Third Carnatic War:

  • It was part of the worldwide Seven Years' War (1756-1763) between Britain and France.
  • The French commander Count de Lally tried to drive the English out of south India.
  • He was defeated by the English commander Sir Eyre Coote at the Battle of Wandiwash (Vandavasi) in January 1760.
  • The English then besieged Pondicherry, which surrendered in January 1761.
  • The English destroyed its fortifications and buildings.
  • Lally was taken prisoner, and was later executed in France (1766) after being blamed for the defeat.

After the war:

  • Under the Treaty of Paris (1763), Pondicherry was returned to the French, but they could not keep any forts or troops there, and could only trade.
  • The French never again became a major political power in India.
  • Pondicherry changed hands several times during later wars, and was finally restored to France in 1816.

Later history:

  • The French settlements of Pondicherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam were transferred to India de facto in 1954, and legally (de jure) in 1962.
  • Puducherry is now a Union Territory.
  • It is known for its French-style architecture, the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and Auroville nearby.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗The Dutch, Portuguese and Danes had their own settlements elsewhere.

Quick tip

Remember: Pondicherry (French headquarters) captured by the English in January 1761 (Third Carnatic War; after Wandiwash, 1760, Eyre Coote vs Lally); returned by the Treaty of Paris (1763).

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Arrival of Europeans & Expansion of British Rule — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Arrival of Europeans & Expansion of British Rule, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic covers the arrival of the Portuguese, Dutch, English, Danes and French in India, the growth of the East India Company, and the battles, wars and treaties through which British power expanded, including the Battles of Plassey and Buxar, the Anglo-Mysore, Anglo-Maratha and Anglo-Sikh wars, and policies such as subsidiary alliance and the doctrine of lapse. Typical questions ask which battle was fought in which year and between whom, which treaty ended which war, and which Governor-General introduced a policy. For example, the Battle of Plassey (1757) was fought between Robert Clive and Siraj-ud-Daulah, and the Treaty of Allahabad (1765) gave the Company the diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. Practise the arrival of Europeans and expansion of British rule questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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