Mr Carter, I would suggest that you look up what is involved in "colonising" any lump of land. You could then tell me how a country of less than 18 million people could "colonise" a massive land mass inhabited by over 350 million people. On the particular subject of "India" it did not become a country until 1947 prior to that it consisted of areas directly administered by the United Kingdom, which were collectively called British India, and those ruled by indigenous rulers, but under British tutelage or paramountcy, and called the princely states - India was NEVER a British colony, between 1600 and 1858 the British Government only interest in India was supporting any policy that ensured the best interests of the Honourable East India Company (A trading organisation). It was only after the Indian Mutiny of 1857 that the British Government stepped in.