Q. The staple commodities of export by the English East India Company from Bengal in the middle of the century were (UPSC Prelims 2018)
Answer: Cotton, silk, saltpetre and opium
Notes: The correct answer is [D] Cotton, silk, saltpetre and opium. During the mid-18th century, Bengal was the "Paradise of the Earth" for the East India Company due to its immense manufacturing and agricultural surplus.

• Cotton and Silk (Correct): Bengal was world-famous for its high-quality textiles. The Company exported vast quantities of Muslin (fine cotton) and raw silk to Europe, where they were in high demand before the Industrial Revolution shifted production dynamics.
• Saltpetre (Correct): Also known as potassium nitrate, this was a critical ingredient for making gunpowder. Bengal held a virtual monopoly on high-quality saltpetre, making it a strategic export for Britain’s global wars.
• Opium (Correct): The Company established a monopoly over opium production in Bihar and Bengal. This was primarily exported to China to balance the trade deficit caused by the British import of Chinese tea.
• Incorrect Commodities (A, B, C): While oil-seeds and sugar were produced, they were not the primary "staple" exports of that specific period. Metals like copper, silver, and gold (Option C) were actually imported (bullion) by the British into India to buy Indian goods until they gained Diwani rights (tax collection rights) in 1765. Tea became a major Indian export much later, in the 19th century, after plantations were established in Assam.

The control over these staples, especially after the Battle of Plassey (1757), allowed the East India Company to transition from a mere trading body to a political power, using Indian revenues to finance their own exports—a process known as the "Drain of Wealth."