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How the British stole India: One train at a time

Ever been told, “But the British gave us the Railways!”? It’s time to rethink that. Far from being a “gift,” the Indian Railways were a tool of exploitation—built to extract, control, and suppress. This story uncovers how the British used our own money to build a system that served their empire, not our people. From transporting raw materials to flooding our markets with British goods, the railways became a silent engine of colonial loot. Yes, post-independence India benefited from this infrastructure—but that doesn’t erase the truth: the railways were a colonial scam we paid for, and they cost us dearly.

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6/4/20251 min read

A lot of people still say things like, “But didn’t the British give us the railways?” It sounds like a nice thing, almost like a gift. But let’s be clear: the British didn’t give us railways out of kindness. That idea comes straight from colonial propaganda, and it couldn’t be further from the truth.

The first train in India ran in 1853, from Mumbai to Thane. But the railways weren’t built for India's growth, rather, they were built to help Britain take. Trains made it easier to move raw materials—like cotton, coal, and spices—out of India and straight to British ships.

Even back in 1843, Governor-General Lord Hardinge said the purpose of the railways was to help with “commerce, government and military control.” That explains everything. These weren’t railways for Indians, they were railways for power and profit.

And guess who paid for them? Indian taxpayers.

The railways also made life worse for many Indians. While Britishers travelled in luxurious first class compartments, Indians were crammed into small spaces. On top of that, the railways helped British factory made goods reach every corner of India, crushing local industries that couldn’t compete.

So no, the idea that the railways were a "gift" is just a product of propaganda.

That said, after independence, we’ve turned the railways into one of the country’s greatest strengths. Today, around 30 million people use the railways EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Along with that, India transports over 1.6 billion tonnes of cargo every year. Sure, the British made tracks have a dark past, but we collctively have made it one of our biggest strengths.

So next time someone says, “At least the British gave us railways,” remember that they didn't give us anything. The railways was like any other activity of the EIC, a way to profit of India.

We made them a strength. Not the British.

How the British stole India: One train at a time

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