Chillies and Tobacco were introduced into India by

The Portuguese introduced chillies and tobacco to India during the 16th century colonial period, after Vasco da Gama's arrival in 1498. Before their introduction, Indians used black pepper (peppercorns) for heat. The Portuguese also brought other New World crops like potatoes, tomatoes, cashews, and pineapple. The Britons, Danes, and Dutch arrived later and were not the primary introducers of these specific crops.