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Subsidiary Alliances Policy
- Lord Wellesley introduced this system in 1798 as effective instrument for the expansion of territories and influences of Company in India.
- According to this system, every ruler in India had to accept to pay a subsidy to the British for the maintenance of British army. In return, British would protect them from their enemies.
Conditions
- The state who agreed the policy known as Protected State because it guaranteed the protection from both Internal and External aggression.
- The protected states should disband its own army and allowed the permanent British Resident in its Capital.
- The maintaining of British Army under the rulers responsibility. They can paid annually or Cede a part of their territory as a payment.
- All the officers of the army appointed solely by British only.
- Waging war without the permission of Company is prohibited.
- Non English European officials should expel from the state and no agreement is allowed with other Indian state or Europeans without the permission of Company.
- Hyderabad is the first state which accepted Subsidiary alliance policy in 1798 and followed by Tanjavur in 1799, Mysore in 1799, Awadh in 1801, Peshwa in 1802 and Gwalior in 1804.
Merits to British
- This helps British to maintain large army at the expanses of Indian states.
- It helps to stop the revival of any European countries particularly French.
- This helps British to control the foreign policy of Princely States in India.
Demerits to Indian Rulers:
- The states which signed in this subsidiary alliance treaty lost their
- The state did not have the rights of self defence.
- The protected states lost its power on maintaining diplomatic relation.
- The protected states lost its power over employing foreign experts for training.