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How did Dadra and Nagar Haveli become Portuguese possessions?
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Dadra and Nagar Haveli became Portuguese possessions in the late 18th century through territorial cessions by the Marathas.1
In 1783, the Marathas ceded Nagar Haveli to Portugal as compensation for a Portuguese vessel that the Maratha navy had destroyed. Two years later, in 1785, Portugal acquired Dadra, which was established as a fief. These territories remained under Portuguese rule until 1954, when they were seized by nationalists seeking to end colonial control in India.1