The staple commodities of export by the English East India Company from Bengal in the middle of the 18th century were

Option (D) is correct because during the mid-18th century, Bengal was the global hub for high-quality cotton and silk textiles, while saltpetre (essential for gunpowder) and opium (crucial for the triangular trade with China) were the most lucrative commodities exported by the Company. Option (C) is incorrect because precious metals like silver and gold were primarily imports used to pay for Indian goods, and tea only became a significant export in the mid-19th century. The core concept tested is the commercial history of colonial India and the specific export profile of the Bengal Presidency during the Company's transition to political power.