Agricultural system during British Era : Indian agriculture remained completely traditional and primitive during the British rule. Agricultural technology followed during those days was simple and no transformation was made in it. Oxens were used as the means of transportation and wooden ploughs were used as the major tool. No commercialization had taken place during this time. This had resulted the problem of uneconomic holdings and unproductive agriculture in the country. Thus, agriculture remained merely a means of subsistence for most of the farmers. In the second half of 19th century, famines deteriorated the condition of agriculture further.

The British ruled over India for 200 years but took no sufficient steps to develop irrigation facilities. However, some canals were built in the 20th century. Although, this provided some benefit to agriculture, but no significant change took place in agriculture. On the contrary, due to elimination of agriculture-based industries, the condition of Indian farmers became more miserable and the Indian economy came under the grip of poverty and unemployment.

Industrial system during the British era : Before the Britishers ruled over India, Indian economy was at its peak. It was the centre point for every business activity. Indian spices, handicraft items, clothes etc.

had made their identity in the entire world. But when the Britishers started ruling upon India, the handicraft industry of India started declining due to their exploitative and oppressive policies, because clothes and other items made in England were started to be sold in the Indian markets. The consequence o ‘this was that the cotton textile industry of India declined in a big way due to which all the weavers deployed in the industry became unemployed.

Along with this, the occupation of melting iron also faced slump and the problem of unemployment emerged in both metal industry as well as cotton textile industry. Due to unemployment, people left the towns and migrated to the villages. After many years, in the 10th century, cotton textile and jute industries developed, but the process of industrialisation could not take place in a significant way along with this. Even after India gained independence in 1947, the economy of the country remained agrarian.