The British became increasingly interested in acquiring the territory…

The British became increasingly interested in acquiring the territory of Awadh because:

(a) Control over Awadh would defend the Indian borders against the possible aggression of Russia.
(b) The Soil of Awadh was good for producing indigo and cotton.
(c) The region of Awadh was ideally located to be developed into the principal market of upper India.
(d) The takeover of Awadh was expected to complete a process of territorial annexation that had begun with the conquest of Bengal.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 2

The correct answer is Option (2) → (b), (c), (d) only

(a) Control over Awadh would defend the Indian borders against the possible aggression of Russia. Incorrect. The British wanted Awadh for its soil, its location as a market and to finish their conquest of India; Awadh lay in the heart of North India, far from any frontier that a Russian advance could threaten.

(b) The Soil of Awadh was good for producing indigo and cotton. Correct. The British felt that the soil there was good for producing indigo and cotton.

(c) The region of Awadh was ideally located to be developed into the principal market of upper India. Correct. They also felt that the region was ideally located to be developed into the principal market of Upper India.

(d) The takeover of Awadh was expected to complete a process of territorial annexation that had begun with the conquest of Bengal. Correct. By the early 1850s all the major areas of India had been conquered, and the takeover of Awadh was to complete the process of territorial annexation begun with Bengal almost a century earlier.

NCERT (2026-27): “2.1 ‘A cherry that will drop into our mouth one day’ … In the meantime the British became increasingly interested in acquiring the territory of Awadh. They felt that the soil there was good for producing indigo and cotton, and the region was ideally located to be developed into the principal market of Upper India. By the early 1850s, moreover, all the major areas of India had been conquered: the Maratha lands, the Doab, the Carnatic, the Punjab and Bengal. The takeover of Awadh in 1856 was expected to complete a process of territorial annexation that had begun with the conquest of Bengal almost a century earlier.…”