Which of the following statements are correct with respect to the British military policy during the...........

Modern Indian History 1885-1905

Which of the following statements are correct with respect to the British military policy during the 1880-1900s?

1. British Indian army was used for imperial pursuits in Africa and Asia.

2. Indians could be taken into the army as volunteers.

3. Military expenditure was entirely borne by the British government.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1 only

1 and 2 only

3 only

2 and 3 only

Military expenditure was one of the sore points between the Indian nationalists and the British government. The British Indian army was being used in imperial wars in all parts of the world, particularly in Africa and Asia. Hence, Statement 1 is correct.
These wars in Africa and Asia and the Indian frontier wars of the 1890s put a very heavy burden on the Indian finances. The moderates demanded that this military expenditure should be evenly shared by the British government. Hence, Statement 3 is not correct.
Moderates demanded that Indians should be taken into the army as volunteers. However, British military officers, particularly, Commander-in-chief Roberts abhorred the idea of volunteer service, as they feared that the Maratha and Bengali volunteers, disaffected and untrustworthy as they were because oftheir association with nationalism, would surely find their way into the army and subvert its integrity. Hence, Statement 2 is not correct.
All of these demands were rejected.
Similarly, the demand for appointing Indians in commissioned ranks was rejected, as no European officer would cherish the thought of being ordered by an Indian commander. The British government agreed to share only a small fraction of the military expenditure, less than £1 million in all. The higher exchange rates reduced the amount even further, and so the burden on the Indian finances remained the same.