<P> The company received a Royal Charter from Queen Elizabeth I on 31 December 1600 , coming relatively late to trade in the Indies . Before them the Portuguese Estado da India had traded there for much of the 16th century and the first of half a dozen Dutch Companies sailed to trade there from 1595 , which amalgamated in March 1602 into the United East Indies Company ( VOC ) , which introduced the first permanent joint stock from 1612 ( meaning investment into shares did not need to be returned , but could be traded on a stock exchange ) . Wealthy merchants and aristocrats owned the EIC 's shares . Initially the government owned no shares and had only indirect control until 1657 when permanent joint stock was established . </P>
when did britain set up east indian trading company
31 December 1600