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Question

Difficulty: EasyBritish Colonial Expansion, Economic Policies, and Administrative Systems

Which Governor-General of India officially introduced the policy of Subsidiary Alliance to establish British paramountcy over Indian princely states?

  1. Lord WellesleyAnswer
  2. B
    Lord Cornwallis
  3. C
    Lord Dalhousie
  4. D
    Warren Hastings

Answer

Lord Wellesley introduced the Subsidiary Alliance policy in India.
Lord Wellesley (Governor-General from 1798 to 1805) devised and extensively applied the Subsidiary Alliance policy. Under this system, an Indian ruler entering into an alliance had to accept British forces within his territory, pay for their maintenance, and surrender foreign affairs management to the British East India Company.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the historical administrative/expansionist policy described in the question.
The policy in question is the 'Subsidiary Alliance' system used to make Indian states dependent on British military protection.
Recognizing the key administrative device helps match it with the responsible British Governor-General.
2
Associate the Subsidiary Alliance policy with the corresponding Governor-General tenure.
Lord Wellesley served as Governor-General from 1798 to 1805 and introduced this system, with Hyderabad becoming the first major state to sign it in 1798.
Lord Wellesley systematically utilized Subsidiary Alliances to eliminate French influence and secure British supremacy in India.

Key Concept

Subsidiary Alliance Policy
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

British Colonial Expansion, Economic Policies, and Administrative Systems