The Portuguese (1st)

• They started in Calicut then eventually shifted to the West Coast.
• Established trading settlements at Calicut, Cochin and Cannanore.

The Dutch (2nd)

• They started in Surat then went to the East Coast.
• Established trade factories in Nagapattinam, Pulicat, and Sudras - then left and moved to Indonesia.

The French (3rd)

• They started in Surat and then went to Pondicherry, Yanan, and Karaikal.
• Established their factories at Balasore, Mahe, Qasim Bazar and Karaikal

East India Company / The British (4th)

• Received a royal charter to set up aa trade settlement in Surat.
• Were given Bombay as a dowry (by the Portuguese).
• Gradually spread across India in Kolikatta (modern-day Kolkata) - purchased it for seventy-five rupees.
• Purchased Chennapatnam from the Raja of Venkatagiri