Nationalists Boycotted British but Favored German Dyes During Swadeshi Movement

During the Swadeshi movement in colonial India, nationalists boycotted British goods but turned to German manufacturers for synthetic dyes due to their quality and consistency. Firms like BASF, Bayer, and Hoechst benefited significantly, establishing a near-monopoly despite Germany's lack of formal colonial rule. The outbreak of World War I ended this relationship abruptly.