Question

Why did industrial production in India increase during the First World War?

Answer 1

Industrial growth was slow in India till the First World War. A new situation was created due to the First World War.

• Imports from Manchester to India declined all of a sudden, as the mills had to meet the needs of the army. Hence British mills were busy with production of goods for the Army.
• The above factor led to sudden opening up of a massive Indian home market to the Indian mills.
• As the First World War kept prolonging, and the army demands kept rising, factories in India were called upon to meet the requirement of the British Army.
• So Indian Industries started producing and supplying various products such as mule and horse saddles, leather boots, tents, clothes for army uniforms, jute bags and many other things.
• All these factors led to old Indian factories running on multiple shifts and new factories were established in India.
• Workers in factories had to work for longer hours.
• Many new workers were recruited and employed in factories in India.
• Hence the industrial production in India boomed during the First World War, which went on for a period of 4 years.
• After the 1st world war, the economy of Britain collapsed.
• Export of cotton clothes to India from Britain reduced drastically.
• Manchester was never able to recapture its old position in the Indian market after the First World War.