Final answer:
Queen Elizabeth I granted a monopoly on trade in the Indian Ocean to the British East India Company in 1600, enabling them to trade with India and establish settlements in Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 1600, Queen Elizabeth I of England granted a monopoly on trade in the Indian Ocean to the British East India Company. This allowed the company to trade with India and establish settlements in Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai. The British East India Company played a major role in the colonization and subsequent British rule in India.