The British Empire as we knew it wouldn't have been possible without its cornerstone, India. Turns out adding an entire subcontinent's worth of human and material wealth can turn a relatively small island nation into a global power. In both world wars India proved to be critical to Britain's success, and that importance weighed heavily on the minds of the Britons who ruled there. For the next few weeks we'll be looking at the colonial state, the British Raj, and how the most vital imperial asset began going its own way. 

Bibliography for this episode: 

1. Sarkar, Sumit Modern India 1885-1947 Macmillan India Ltd 1983

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