Why were the British able to replace the Mughals as the dominant force in the sub-continent by 1850? [7]

The most important reason is that Indians were not united as a nation against the invaders. India was a collection of disunited states with religious and cultural differences. The rulers plotted against each other and fought among themselves. Many of them were seeking protection from the British who had come there for establishing their own empire. A number of local rulers and princely  states provided support to the British when they were fighting against the Mughals or other provincial nawabs. 


The British were good planners of war strategies, they were equipped with latest warfare tools and naval equipment and had well-trained armies. They had enough financial resources and could afford fighting long costly wars. They used efficient means of communications e.g. railways for quick deployment of their troops. So they were technologically much more advanced than Indians. Furthermore, they were highly committed in expanding the British Empire.


Thirdly, many Indians gained benefits by trading with the British. They appreciated the development of infrastructure facilities like roads, schools, hospitals and thousands of miles of railway network. The British irrigated millions of acres of land and provided jobs to a great number of Indians. So businessmen, traders and moderate Indians were convenient with the British rule and cooperated accordingly.