With far reaching and long term effects on the deindustrialization of the subcontinent, this has been the working role of British economic policies in India.

Major Policies Leading to Deindustrialization

Bias Toward British Commodities:

-British manufactured commodities were supported by Free Trade Policies of the British East India Company and the Crown. Indian industries, and in particular the textile, were most poorly and even inadequately protected from cheaper imported British commodities flooding into the Indian market.
Indian products were less competitive in global markets since they were high tariffed as they entered the British market.

-Exportation of raw materials:
To this end, India was developed into an industrial supplying nation of raw materials for industrial production in Britain, since it was the source of such raw materials as cotton, indigo, jute, etc. India as a home to manufacture was discouraged by these raw material productivities.

-Destruction of Traditional Industries:
Through their direct and indirect policies, British destroyed traditional Indian industries – textiles, handicrafts and shipbuilding in the east. This included:
Undercutting of Indian markets by cheaper British goods: This is what has been discussed above.
The British disrupted traditional supply chains – cast iron instead of glass, lead and steel replaced precious metals like silver and gold, artisans and craftsmen’s livelihoods were disrupted.
-There was absolutely no help or support from the British for the growth of Indian industries.

-Long-Term Implications:

Deindustrialization was extremely associated with India’s economic backwardness post independence. As a result, the economy failed because of a lack a strong industrial base which impeded growth and development.
-High dependence on Agriculture: Large part of the population was dependent on agriculture, so that the economy was vulnerable to droughts and other shocks of the agriculture.

Deindustrialization had some social and political consequences. Social unrest was produced and served as a fire for the nationalist movement against the British rule.