In which one of the following years was the first telegraphic connection established between Europe and India ?

The first telegraphic connection between Europe and India was established in 1865. While internal telegraphy in India began in the early 1850s with lines like Calcutta to Agra [1], the 1857 Rebellion highlighted the urgent need for a direct link to London [2]. The Indo-European Telegraph Department (IETD) was subsequently established to bridge this gap [1]. Although the physical infrastructure, including landlines and sea cables through the Persian Gulf, was largely completed by 1864 [1], political disputes and technical hurdles delayed regular service. On March 1, 1865, the first uninterrupted telegraphic messages successfully traversed the route between India and London. This milestone was solidified by the Anglo-Iranian Convention of 1865, which facilitated regular traffic. Later, in 1870, a more reliable all-sea cable was completed, but the initial functional connection dates to 1865.

Sources

1. [1] Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 5: The Structure of the Government and the Economic Policies of the British Empire in India, 1757—1857 > British Economic Policies in India, 1757-1857 > p. 101
2. [2] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 17: Effects of British Rule > Railways, Postal & Telegraph Systems > p. 271