British Expansion in India: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Modern History)
1 previous year UPSC Prelims question on British Expansion in India (Modern History). Choose an option to see the answer and explanation.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 1–1 of 1 question
UPSC 2018Modern History · British Expansion in India
Q1. Which one of the following statements does not apply to the system of Subsidiary Alliance introduced by Lord Wellesley?
Explanation
The Subsidiary Alliance was a diplomatic strategy introduced by Lord Wellesley in 1798, aiming to maintain British control over Indian states.
Option (c) is correct: The Subsidiary Alliance aimed to establish British paramountcy over the Indian States and to ensure their military and political subservience to the British East India Company. Securing a fixed income for the company was not the primary objective of the system. Hyderabad was the first state to come under it. The native Indian ruler had to pay for the maintenance of the British army and if he failed to make the payment, a portion of his territory was taken away and ceded to the British. They could not engage in alliances with other powers without British consent.
Exam tip:
"Subsidiary Alliance" suggests a political-military arrangement, "If I were a colonial strategist like Lord Wellesley, what would I want from this system?" Military advantage without direct cost, Justification to interfere in Indian state affairs, Diplomatic cover against global threats (like Napoleon). All yes! What I don’t need from this is: A fixed, predictable income stream, like rent or tax -- because that’s the job of land revenue systems, not military alliances.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
1
2018
(c) To secure a fixed income for the Company
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on British Expansion in India?
This page covers 1 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on British Expansion in India (Modern History), asked from 1999 to 2018. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
How should I use previous year UPSC questions for Prelims?
Attempt each question first, then open the answer and read the explanation for every option. Repeat by chapter, and track which statements UPSC reuses across years. Previous year questions show the exam pattern and difficulty level.
Which years are covered for British Expansion in India?
Questions on British Expansion in India (Modern History) are available for 9 years, from 1999 to 2018. Use the Year filter to practise a single paper.
