The victory of the VOC in the war with Calicut which was brought to a close in 1717 also marked the end of an era. This was to be the last war until the 1760s in which the VOC was able and willing to defend its claims of exclusive trading privileges by force. In the case of the war with the Zamorin, as we have seen, this also resulted in an increase in the territory under the Company's control, though much of this was then ceded to the Company's allies. Marking the victory, the Company erected a new fort at Chowghat (Chettuva/Chettua in the sources) that would henceforth act as the northern gate to the lands of the Company and its allies. This was the last fort built to control new territories. From the 1740s onwards, a new series of fortifications was built, but both their aim as well as their dislocation would be novel. These new forts were built to protect previously unfortified factories against attack by Marathas in territories to the north where it had previously not been necessary to maintain fortifications. This was mainly due to the decline in the power of the Mughal Empire. At the same time, and partly as its consequence, the rise of new states created new threats to which the VOC had to find an appropriate response. In the south, Travancore would upend traditional Malabar politics and undermine the Company's role. On top of all this, the period also saw the increasing strength of French and British forces in India, partly due to the wars between these states in 1740-1748 and again from 1756 until 1763. But French and British power also increased because of the political turmoil on the subcontinent. Even in the years of nominal peace between 1748 and 1756, French and British forces would fight each other, “on loan” to various local states. In so doing, they gained additional territories and incomes as well as valuable experience.

The decline in Mughal power had a number of knock-on effects, all of which worked to the detriment of the VOC. As Mughal power slowly declined, other powers were willing and able to fill the void. Some of these were run by former Mughal provincial governors such as Mubariz Khan who, from 1715 onwards, set up a de facto independent state in Hyderabad.