THE ORIGIN OF IMPERIAL SERVICE TROOPS AND JAMMU AND KASHMIR STATE

The British government always harboured distrust towards the princely states as earlier they were fierce competitors against each other for the conquest of territories in India. But even after emerging victorious their distrust against the states did not vanish particularly due to the First War of Independence. This policy continued beyond 1857 up to a certain period and was only revised when the Russian Empire focused on expanding its empire to its south which threatened the British Indian Empire. Therefore, the British decided to befriend the states and utilize their resources against the Russian Empire particularly Jammu and Kashmir. The distrust against the princely states and change in their policy towards the princely states particularly Jammu and Kashmir forms part of our research.