The European trading companies maintained armies in India for the following reasons :
1. for attaining a monopoly over trade in India.
2. to protect their trading centers and forts from the local rulers and the other European companies.
3. to drive the other European companies away from India to attain a monopoly over trade in India.
4. to increase their profits by using their military advantage.
5. to force the local craftsmen to sell their goods at low prices.
6. to squeeze revenue from the peasants beyond reasonable limits.
7. for fighting against the local rulers when they resisted the trading companies to squeeze revenue.
8. to dethrone the kings and to remove any obstacles in the way of their trade. The armies of the companies played the roles:
a) guards to protect their ports, forts, and their trading centers.
b) a force to threaten the craftsmen to sell their goods at lower prices.
c) an army to fight against their trade rivals and the local rulers.
