Consider the following statements regarding the Subsidiary Alliance system formulated by Lord Wellesley: 1. The Indian ruler accepting the alliance had to maintain a British armed contingent within their territory and pay for its upkeep. 2. The allied ruler could not enter into any alliance or engage in warfare with other states without prior permission of the British Governor-General. Which of the statements given above are correct?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Lord Wellesley expanded British hegemony in India by compelling native princely states to accept the Subsidiary Alliance, which required them to station British troops at their own expense or cede vital territories instead of cash payments. Furthermore, rulers surrendered their external sovereignty by agreeing not to negotiate with other powers or employ non-English Europeans without British consent, effectively reducing them to subordinate status. Hyderabad was the first state to sign this treaty in 1798.