Q. Lord Wellesley greatly extended the British dominion in India through
(a) Doctrine of Lapse
(b) Subsidiary Alliance
(c) Partitioning of Indian States
(d) Annexing the princely States
Ans: (b) Subsidiary Alliance
Explanation: Lord Wellesley greatly extended the British dominion in India through option (b) Subsidiary Alliance. Lord Wellesley, who served as the Governor-General of India from 1798 to 1805, implemented the Subsidiary Alliance System as a means to expand British influence and control over Indian territories. Under this system, the British East India Company entered into alliances with Indian princely states, offering them protection against external threats in exchange for control over their foreign affairs and military forces. The princely states were required to maintain a subsidiary force of British troops in their territories and accept British suzerainty. Through the Subsidiary Alliance System, Lord Wellesley was able to establish British paramountcy over numerous princely states and significantly extend British dominion in India.
