The Aden Province of British India (1839 to 1937)

At its height, British India stretched across an immense 5 million square kilometres, covering what are today Yemen, Iran, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Singapore. This vast dominion, politically consolidated under British rule, remained a cultural melting pot—home to over 180 spoken languages and eight major religions. It wasn't just a landmass; it was a civilisation in itself, blending Hindustani, Dravidian, Arabic, Persian, Mandarin, and Austronesian influences into one of the most diverse territories in history.

One of its westernmost frontiers, Aden, was an integral part of British India for 98 years, from 1839 to 1937. The city, located at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, eventually became the most important port in the region, but centuries before that, Mocha (Al-Makha) had been the center of Red Sea trade. Kingdoms like Qataban, Himyar, the Ziyadids, Rasulids, and Tahirids thrived due to Mocha’s influence before the Ottomans and later the British took over. Over time, Aden eclipsed Mocha, reducing the latter’s global relevance to just the name of a coffee. Today, Yemeni coffee is still grown in regions like Bani Matar, Yafa, Haraz, and Aden, continuing the legacy of Mocha’s past glory.

But how did Aden rise to prominence and become significant enough for the British to annex it into India? The answer lies in the Carnatic Sultanate and a shipwreck.

AI created image of a shipwreck

In December 1836, the 220-ton ship Daria Dawlat left Calcutta under the command of Sayyid Nur al-Din, a veteran sailor returning from illness. The ship, chartered by an Arab merchant from Mocha, Firuz Edoor, carried rice, sugar, goods, and a few pilgrims. Right from the start, disputes arose—Firuz Edoor demanded extra freight payments, which were refused by the Begum of Carnatic’s agent, Luchmee Pursad. Firuz retaliated by replacing key crew members, demoting Nur al-Din, and appointing new officers who lacked his expertise.

Shortly after setting sail, the ship deviated from its planned route. Instead of passing through the Palk Strait toward Ceylon, the new officers redirected it east toward the Andaman Islands, raising suspicions. Nur al-Din protested but was ignored. After stopping at Alleppey and Cochin to pick up more cargo and passengers—including Singaporean merchant Sayyid Tipu and his family—the overloaded vessel set off for Jiddah (modern-day Jeddah, Saudi Arabia).

On February 7, 1837, disaster struck. Due to a combination of mismanagement and sabotage, the ship ran aground on a reef. Panic set in as officers failed to act, and when rescue efforts began, chaos ensued. Some lifeboats capsized, drowning crew members. Worse still, local Adeni vessels looted the wreck instead of offering aid. Left with no choice, survivors led by Nur al-Din and Tipu constructed a makeshift raft and struggled to shore.

Their detailed depositions—preserved in Bombay—paint a vivid picture of mid-19th-century maritime trade, corruption, and human resilience. The Daria Dawlat disaster shook British maritime confidence in the Arabian Sea. While not the sole reason for annexing Aden, it certainly reinforced the British East India Company's resolve. Two years later, in 1839, the British struck a deal with the Sultan of Lahej (a tiny Yemeni state close to Aden), securing Aden as a British outpost under the Bombay Presidency. The goal? Strengthen trade routes between India and Africa while further securing British dominance in the Arabian waters.

For almost a century, while India fought for independence, Aden remained an overlooked yet crucial part of British India. The city witnessed reports of the 1857 Revolt, Gandhi’s return from South Africa, the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Bhagat Singh’s rise and execution, and nearly every major independence movement—except the Quit India Movement—before its eventual separation in 1937.

Vasudev Balwant Phadke

Today, Aden is no longer the capital of Yemen, and its economy has suffered due to prolonged conflict. Yet its deep-rooted ties with India persist. Two of India’s most famous businessmen, Dhirubhai Ambani and Mukesh Ambani, have direct links to Aden—the former worked there in the 1950s before moving to India, and the latter was born there in 1957. Independence activist Vasudev Balwant Phadke, one of Maharashtra’s earliest graduates and the founder of the Poona Native Institution (established in 1860; now Maharashtra Education Society), was exiled to an Aden prison after being captured for leading anti-British raids in the Bombay region. He died in Aden in 1883.

The map shown here dates back to 1914, capturing Aden at a time when it was still a thriving part of British India.