The policy of paramountcy marked a significant shift in the relationship between the British colonial government and the princely states of India during the 19th century. It reflected the growing ambition of the British East India Company to exert superior authority over Indian territories, both conquered and allied. This doctrine of paramountcy was neither enshrined in a single law nor established by a formal declaration; rather, it evolved through practice and precedent. The individual most closely associated with initiating this influential policy was Lord Hastings. Serving as the Governor-General of India from 1813 to 1823, Lord Hastings set the tone for British dominance in Indian politics through both military campaigns and diplomatic strategies.
Lord Hastings: The Initiator of the Policy
Background and Appointment
Francis Rawdon-Hastings, known as Lord Hastings, was appointed as Governor-General of India in 1813. During this period, the British East India Company faced threats from regional powers like the Marathas, as well as increasing tension with various princely states. Lord Hastings saw the need for a more assertive British policy that would solidify its superiority in the Indian subcontinent. He believed that to ensure British supremacy, it was essential to not just defeat rivals in battle, but to also redefine the diplomatic standing of Indian rulers in relation to the Company.
The Concept of Paramountcy
The policy of paramountcy meant that the British East India Company would be the ultimate authority in India. While the princely states were allowed to maintain internal sovereignty, they could not enter into alliances or wage wars without the approval of the British. The doctrine gave the British the power to intervene in the affairs of the princely states whenever they deemed it necessary. Lord Hastings justified this approach as a means of preserving stability and preventing conflicts between rival states that might challenge British interests.
Strategic Implementation of the Policy
Military and Political Campaigns
Lord Hastings implemented the policy of paramountcy through decisive military actions. One of the most prominent was the Third Anglo-Maratha War (18171818), which resulted in the defeat of the Maratha Confederacy. The victory effectively dismantled a major Indian power and allowed the British to expand their influence across central India. It also served as a demonstration to other rulers that the Company’s authority was not to be challenged.
Subsidiary Alliances and Treaties
Another tool Lord Hastings used to assert paramountcy was the system of subsidiary alliances. These treaties required Indian rulers to accept British military support in exchange for surrendering control over their foreign policy and often maintaining British troops at their expense. While the system was initiated by Lord Wellesley earlier, Lord Hastings greatly expanded its use and made it a consistent method of enforcing British dominance.
Long-Term Impact of the Policy
Centralization of Power
The doctrine of paramountcy played a crucial role in centralizing authority under British control. By establishing a hierarchy in which the British were the supreme rulers, it prevented the formation of coalitions among Indian princes that could resist colonial rule. It also created a political environment where the legitimacy of Indian monarchs was dependent on British recognition.
Interference in Succession
Under paramountcy, the British took upon themselves the right to approve or deny succession in princely states. This policy became particularly controversial later under Lord Dalhousie’s Doctrine of Lapse, but its roots lay in the authority claimed by Lord Hastings. The ability to decide who would inherit a throne allowed the British to manipulate politics within Indian kingdoms and remove rulers deemed uncooperative or incapable.
Precedent for Future Governors-General
Lord Hastings’ policy laid the foundation for future British administrators in India. Governors-General who came after him, including Lord Dalhousie and Lord Canning, used the principles of paramountcy to expand British territory and influence even further. Whether through annexations, political restructuring, or economic control, the assertion of British paramountcy became a central theme of 19th-century colonial governance.
Criticism and Controversy
Undermining Indian Sovereignty
The policy was heavily criticized for undermining the autonomy of Indian rulers. While it claimed to bring stability, it effectively turned princely states into vassals of the British Empire. Rulers lost real power over their foreign relations, military decisions, and even internal policies in some cases. The semblance of sovereignty masked the fact that ultimate authority rested with the British.
Fueling Indian Nationalism
Though the doctrine served British imperial interests, it also fueled resentment among Indian elites and common citizens alike. Many saw the British interference in royal affairs and administration as unjust and exploitative. This growing discontent became one of the many factors contributing to the rise of Indian nationalism in the later 19th and early 20th centuries.
Lord Hastings stands out as the key figure who initiated the policy of paramountcy in India. His strategic use of military force, diplomatic alliances, and political maneuvering helped establish the British East India Company as the unquestioned power in the subcontinent. While the policy brought short-term stability and expansion of British rule, it also eroded the traditional authority of Indian rulers and sowed the seeds of political unrest. The legacy of paramountcy continued to shape British-Indian relations until the end of colonial rule, leaving behind a complex and contested history of control, resistance, and change.