Russia's interest in India can be traced back to the 19th century, when India was a British colony. As Russia pushed southward into Central Asia, it engaged in a major rivalry with Britain as the two powers encountered each other in Afghanistan. Following Indian independence in 1947, the Soviet Union established ties with the new republic. India was the first of Britain's Asian colonies to gain independence following World War II, and the Soviet Union's recognition of India lent credibility to Soviet anti-imperialist propaganda. Soviet assistance grew after 1950, when the first deal was struck to barter Soviet wheat for Indian tobacco, tea and jute. In 1953, both countries granted each other most-favored-nation status. A series of five-year agreements on trade followed. Soviet assistance became key for the development of heavy industry in India, including the construction of India's first steel plant, Bhilai, in 1955.