The opening of which of the following canals intensified British control over India’s foreign trade?

Correct option is B

Correct Answer: (b)
Explanation
· The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 significantly reduced the cost of transportation and made access to the Indian market easier.
· It cut the travel distance between Europe and India by approximately 7,000 km by allowing ships to travel between the Mediterranean and Red Seas, bypassing the long route around the Cape of Good Hope (Africa).
· This direct route intensified British control over India’s foreign trade by making the import of British manufactured goods cheaper and faster, while facilitating the export of raw materials from India.
Information Booster
· The canal is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt.
· Before its construction, goods had to be offloaded and carried overland between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea or shipped around Africa.
· Its strategic importance made it a key lifeline of the British Empire, often called the "Highway to India."
Additional Knowledge
· Buckingham Canal (c): A navigation canal in India running parallel to the Coromandel Coast (Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu). It was built for local transport, not international trade dominance.
· Munak Canal (d): A canal in Haryana and Delhi, India, primarily carrying water from the Yamuna river for drinking and irrigation.
· Anolly Canal (a): Likely refers to the Conolly Canal (or Canoli Canal) in Kerala, built for internal water transport, not international trade.