When was the Suez Canal opened? How did it affect the Indian economy?

Question

Accepted Answer

The Suez Canal was opened in 1869.

The canal connected Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea with the Gulf of Suez. It provided a direct trade route for ships operating between European or American ports and ports located in South Asia, East Africa and Oceania.

The opening of the canal reduced the cost and time of transportation and made access to the Indian market easier. In other words, the exploitation of the Indian market became easier for the British. It greatly reduced the distance between Britain and India, by some 5,100 miles, as ships no longer needed to travel around southern Africa.