The Dutch East India Company established its first factory in India in ________.

Correct option is C

The correct answer is (c) Petapuli
Explanation:
· The Dutch East India Company (VOC) set up its first trading factory (post) in India at Petapuli (Nizampatnam) in 1609.
· Petapuli was located on the Coromandel Coast, a vital region for the textile trade.
· The Dutch later established more significant bases like Pulicat, which became their headquarters in the region.
Information Booster:
· The Dutch used Indian textiles as a key commodity to exchange for spices in Southeast Asia.
· Goa was ruled by the Portuguese, and Pondicherry was a French settlement.
Additional Knowledge:
· The decline of the Dutch presence in India was formalized after their defeat by the British in the Battle of Bedara (1759).