The correct answer is SuratThe East India Company arrived first at Surat, India in 1608 in the ship Hector commanded by William Hawkins. The British established their first Indian factory at Surat (1612). Within a few years had established a permanent factory there. Surat was the port used by the textile manufacturers of Gujrat and was the most important center for the overseas trade of the Mughal Empire. A factory was eventually established at Surat in 1612 when the Portuguese fleet was defeated by the English. Additional InformationCochin: The earliest account of Cochin is derived from the records made by the Chinese traveler, Ma Huan. At the beginning of the XVI century, Cochin was the seat of the Portuguese in India, including the time of the capture of Goa in 1510. Cochin was the first princely state to join India willingly after Independence. Calicut: Vasco da Gama sailed on a mission to reach India and open a sea route from Europe to the East. He made numerous stops in Africa before reaching Calicut in 1498. Download Solution PDFShare on Whatsapp