Subsidiary Alliance:

Subsidiary Alliance was a system introduced by Lord Wellesley, the Governor-General of India from 1798-1805. It was a system of alliance between the British East India Company and Indian rulers. The objective of the system was to create a buffer zone to protect the British interests in India.

Features of Subsidiary Alliance:

The Subsidiary Alliance had the following features:

1. Military Alliance: The Indian ruler had to accept a British military force in their kingdom. The ruler had to provide the British with resources like food, shelter, and other basic amenities.

2. British Control over Foreign Relations: The Indian ruler had to accept the British control over their foreign relations. They were not allowed to enter into any alliance with a foreign power without the consent of the British.

3. British Control over Internal Affairs: The Indian ruler had to accept the British control over their internal affairs. They were not allowed to make any decision without the consent of the British.

4. Payment of Subsidy: The Indian ruler had to pay for the British military force stationed at their kingdom. If the ruler failed to pay the subsidy, then the British would take over the kingdom.

5. No Alliance with Other Indian Rulers: The Indian ruler was not allowed to enter into an alliance with other Indian rulers without the consent of the British.

Effect of Subsidiary Alliance:

The Subsidiary Alliance had the following effects:

1. Expansion of British Empire: The British Empire expanded its territory through the Subsidiary Alliance system. They used the system to control Indian rulers and expand their domain.

2. Economic Drain: The Indian ruler had to pay for the British military force stationed at their kingdom. This led to an economic drain on the Indian economy.

3. Loss of Sovereignty: The Indian ruler lost their sovereignty with the introduction of the Subsidiary Alliance system.

4. Resistance: The Indian rulers who resisted the Subsidiary Alliance system were defeated by the British military force.

5. Modernization: The Subsidiary Alliance system led to the modernization of the Indian army. The Indian rulers were forced to adopt modern military techniques to fight against the British.

Subsidiary Alliance is a system developed by the East India company mainly by lord Wellesley. It solved the problem of ruling a nation which is under the rule of a king.
Some of a subsidiary alliance were :
An Indian ruler entering into a subsidiary alliance with the British had to accept British forces in his territory and also agreed to pay for their maintenance.
The ruler would acknowledge the East India company as the power in India.
Such a ruler would not form an alliance with any other power, nor would he declare war against any power without the permission of the British.