Why did British manufactured cotton goods damage India's textile exports in the 19th century?

In the 19th century, British machine-made cotton goods severely undermined India’s indigenous handicraft industries by offering cheaper, mass-produced alternatives that effectively undersold the products of Indian craftsmen.12

This process was accelerated by the rapid expansion of the railroad network across the subcontinent. These trains facilitated the distribution of inexpensive British manufactured goods to inland towns and villages, which had previously relied on local handicraft production. As a result, traditional markets for Indian weavers and spinners collapsed, forcing many craftsmen to abandon their looms and return to agriculture for their livelihood.23

Furthermore, British mill owners exerted political influence to protect their interests, such as forcing the government of India to impose an "equalizing" excise tax on cloth manufactured within India to ensure British imports remained competitive. Consequently, India was increasingly relegated to the status of a colonial economy, serving primarily as a supplier of raw materials and a captive market for British manufactured articles.231