How many years Britain ruled India?

The British ruled India for nearly two centuries, but the period of direct British rule, known as the British Raj, lasted from 1858 to 1947.

• The British East India Company began its dominance in India after the Battle of Plassey in 1757, marking the beginning of British colonialism. However, this was not direct rule by the British Crown23.
• The British Raj, which was the period of direct British rule, started on June 28, 1858, when the British government took over the governance of India from the East India Company, and it ended on August 15, 1947, with India's independence12.

Thus, the British Raj itself lasted for 89 years, while British influence and control over India in various forms spanned approximately 190 years from 1757 to 1947.