Indian agriculture was under British rule before Independence. 

Due to the following exploitative policies of the British, Indian agriculture became backward and underdeveloped :

i. Zamindari system under British rule : Under this land settlement system, Zamindars were recognized as owners of the lands. Zamindars were given the rights to collect the rent from the peasants. Zamindars molested the farmers badly. Due to this, farmers became their slave and their condition became miserable.

Due to these reasons, zamindar started molesting farmers. Upon resisting, they used to take away the lands of the farmers and made them landless. After that, two new systems also came in existence, i.e. Mahalwari system and Ryotwari system, due to which, the economic condition of the farmers suffered a severe setback.

ii. Inferior level of Technology : Along with the faulty land-ownership system during the colonial rule, the level of technology employed in agriculture was also inferior and backward.

iii. Revenue System : Also due to the conditions of the revenue system, the farmers were exploited to the maximum by the zamindars. So, on the basis of the above mentioned reasons, it can be said that till the time of attaining independence, the agricultural sector was completely backward and stagnant.