The present volume is a collection of essays based on the papers presented at the International Seminar on ‘Merchants, Companies and Trade – the Asian and European Scene in the Indian Context, 16th–18th Century’ organized at the Maison des Sciences de l'Homme (MSH), Paris, in 1990. The main inspiration behind the Seminar was provided by Maurice Aymard, and the MSH came forward with liberal assistance, both financial and secretarial, for holding the Seminar in Paris. The delay in the publication of the volume is partly due to the fact that the two editors, living in two different continents, took quite some time to finalize the details of publication. Nevertheless, while acknowledging the failure on their part, the editors do hope that the volume will be welcome at least on the principle ‘better late than never’. They take this opportunity to convey their grateful thanks to the staff and members of the MSH, especially Maurice Aymard, for all their generous help and cooperation. Finally, they remain grateful to the Syndicate of the Cambridge University Press for accepting the volume for publication and to the editors at the Press for a very demanding period of working together.