By 1600, the British East India Company had expanded its indigo plantations in India, dominating the global indigo trade. This lucrative crop was essential for producing deep blue dyes, which were highly sought after in Europe. The indigo trade not only fueled economic growth for the British Empire but also had profound social and cultural impacts on Indian society and its agricultural practices.

The dominance of the Indian indigo trade in the 1600s featured prominently in colonial and Romantic literature. Poets like William Wordsworth used indigo as a symbol of empire and labor, exploring themes of exotic allure and the moral implications of colonialism.