Why did britain want to take over india?

Answer 1

Great Britain at one time, as a colonial power, derived great wealth by controlling commerce all over the world. As rulers of India (among many other colonies) they were able to set the terms for commerce, making those terms very favorable for themselves. Of course, commerce can be a euphemism for what took place, which sometimes would be better described as simple theft or looting.

Answer 2

Two reasons- economic and geo-political.

India offered the prospect of an enormous economic boost to British financial power in the world. With it's enormous Natural Resources, readliy-available cheap labour, and abundance of valuable raw materials such as gold reserves and gemstones, Britain stood to enrich itself massively by exploiting all of the above, thus gaining a dominant financial role in the global economy.

India was also desirable geo-politically. It provided a highly important strategic location from which the British armed forces could expand Northwards, subduing the rebellious tribes of Afghanistan, opening up trade routes with China, and serving as a bulwark against Russian Tsarist expansionism. With a powerful British Indian Army based throughout India, this would serve as a deterrent to any thoughts Imperial Russia might have had upon expanding it's influence Southwards.

The advent of the railways made trade with India's surrounding nations all the easier and more lucrative for Britain, and following the Russian Revolution of 1917, Britain's rule over India was seen as being just as important in keeping a check on Stalin as it had been upon the Romanov Tsars.
They need raw materials and natural resources.
For cotton for their factories and to spread their empire
To create a more diversified and a Global Britain economically and socially.

Answer 3

The main reason was because of traiding. traiding was a big thing in India and the british wanted to control that and make money from it.