| Portuguese | 1498 | Vasco da Gama arrived in India | First European to reach India by sea; Cochin-1500 |
| 1632 | – | Kasim Khan drove Portuguese from Hooghly, Bengal | – |
| British East India Company | 1600 | Chartered on Dec 31, 1600 | Acted as part trade organization, part nation-state; profited from India, China, Persia, Indonesia |
| 1611 | – | First Indian factory at Masulipatnam (Andhra Pradesh) | – |
| 1612 | – | Second factory at Surat | – |
| 1613 | – | Temporary factory at Surat | – |
| 1620 | – | Factory at Alamganj, Patna (Saltpetre trade) | – |
| Dutch East India Company | 1602 | Established by Dutch Parliament | Powers to make war, treaties, acquire territories, build forts |
| 1632 | – | Factory established at Patna | Exported indigo, cotton, textiles, saltpeter, silk, opium |
| Danish East India Company | 1755 | Arrived in Nicobar Islands | Organized European colonization in Nicobar |
| 1 Jan 1756 | – | Nicobar Islands made Danish colony (“New Denmark”) | – |
| 1774 | – | Factory at Nepali Kothi, Patna | – |
| 1868 | – | Danish presence ended; sold Nicobar Islands to Britain | Mainly involved in missionary activities |
| French East India Company | 1668 | First factory at Surat | State-controlled, financed, unlike British company |
| 1668–1669 | – | Factory at Masulipatnam | – |
| 1673 | – | Land purchased at Chandernagore (Bengal) | – |
| 1674 | – | Acquired Pondicherry from Sultan of Bijapur | Became maritime commercial center |
| 1725 | – | Acquired Mahe | – |
| 1739 | – | Acquired Karaikal | – |
| Asiatic Society of Bengal | 1784 | Founded by Sir William Jones | Focus on oriental studies, research, and Indian history |