Do the British Deserve Credit for "Modernizing" India

On the BR forum, there was a heated discussion going on as usual. The topic was the supposed modernization of India that was due to the British. Unfortunately, there is very little clear thinking in India and elsewhere on this topic. There is much support for the view that though the British looted India and beggared her, they were relative benevolent and modernized India. Among the holders of such views are the current PM, MMS. There is much wrong with such a view and it mostly reflects the deference the holders have for the British. Anyway, my response which got some support and surprisingly eliminated at least for a time, arguments from those who support this "modernization" view was:

"The British "modernisation" of India was done with looted Indian money and for their purposes. Very simple fact. Being that we were one of the richest countries in the world then (that's a fact) and actively involved in trade with the rest of the world (again a fact) not isolationist like China, we would surely have bought whatever technology we needed anytime we wanted it. And for less cost, more efficiently and in a manner that suited our purposes not somebody else's.

Similarly, social change was a given in India, we were also quite familiar with concepts like rule of law (read Ashoka's edicts) and democracy (plenty of well established city republics even in Buddha's time (all well established fact's mind you - even "eminent" historians agree). The monarchies were not absolute unlike the contemporary west - the king had established obligations and assemblies of advisors were not uncommon. Democracy in its modern form would have come to India, probably sooner rather than later.

To talk about the "information economy" as a "benefit" of British colonialism and our "advantage" of knowing the English language is so exceedingly stupid that it boggles the mind. More likely than not, in the absense of colonialism, we would have been well industrialized, richer and have no need for coppers thrown at us by the looters. Absolutely no acknowledgment of their "modernisation" is needed at all. It's like thanking your daughter's rapist for teaching her the marvelous technique of using a condom (so HE wouldn't get any disease). You only talk about the rape, the condom is mentioned only in the context of getting a health check.