2. Expansion of British Power in India | India History | India History in Hindi | Bharat ka Itihas |India before Independence | Indian History in story | History of India British Raj भारत का इतिहास |  In the early seventeenth century, the English East India Company was merely a trading body. It sent requests to the Mughal emperors for trade concessions and privileges. After the death of Aurangzeb, the Mughal Empire became weak. Taking advantage of this, the officials of the Company began to intensify their operations in Bengal, the richest of the Indian provinces. In 1717, they succeeded in obtaining the right to import and export goods without paying customs duty. However, some officials of the Company were also engaged in private trade. The concession granted was only for the Company. But these officials also stopped paying duty on their private trade, resulting in an enormous loss of revenue to Bengal.