Yes, the East India Company are a large, well-established, well-organized player faction. Been around since game launch, or at least since before I started playing. Originally, they plotted and distributed trade route information, but with "trade routes" nerfed by subsequent BGS updates, they've switched their business model to commodity supply. FCs have made their business much easier. You need tritium, Rare Goods, Engineer-unlocking material? You name it, they can get it for you.
Yes, they're Empire-aligned, too. Always have been.