The East India Company started with a small army in the 18th century. They had three groups of soldiers in Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta. These groups were made up of European mercenaries who defended the small areas the company controlled.
However, as the 18th century progressed, the East India Company rapidly developed a professional standing army. By the turn of the 19th century, this corporate paramilitary had grown to twice the size of the regular British army and become far larger than the armed forces of most other European nations.
The company's army was integrated with the regular British army. They shared some soldiers and worked together. The company also relied on the British Royal Navy to protect its vital shipping lanes across the Indian Ocean. Although, it also possessed a respectable fleet.
