Why did the few English colonialists succeed in subjugating and rapaciously exploiting vast India?

The British conquered India relatively easily, without any special losses and by the hands of the Indians themselves. The British armed forces, consisting of local soldiers – sepoys, conquered the Indian principalities one after another. It took the British about a hundred years to bring this vast country under their complete control. For the first time in its history, India was deprived of state independence.