After the Battle of Buxar (1764), the Company appointed Residents in Indian states. Through the Residents, the Company officials began interfering in the internal affairs of Indian states. Sometimes the Company forced the states into a “subsidiary alliance”. According to the terms of this alliance, Indian rulers were not allowed to have their independent armed forces. They will be protected by the Company but had to pay for the “subsidiary forces” that the Company maintain for the purpose of this protection. If the Indian rulers failed to make the payment, then part of their territory was taken away as a penalty. Mysore controlled the profitable trade of the Malabar coast where the Company purchased pepper and cardamom. In 1785 Tipu Sultan stopped the export of these substances through the ports of his kingdom and disallowed local merchants from trading with the Company. He also established a close relationship with the French in India and modernised his army with their help. The book covers all aspects of British expansion in subcontinent from trade to rule.

Ashish Parmar is a leading historian of British India. He has taught at several universities in India and the United States, including the University of California and Berkeley University. Parmar's work has focused on the political, economic, and social history of British India. He is particularly interested in the relationship between the British colonial government and the Indian people. His work has shown how the British colonial government used a variety of methods to control and exploit the Indian people, including military force, economic coercion, and cultural assimilation. Parmar's research has been published in leading academic journals, including the Journal of Asian Studies, the American Historical Review, and the Economic and Political Weekly. He has received several awards for his work, including the American Historical Association's Award for Scholarly Distinction. He is a frequent speaker at conferences and workshops on the history of India, and he has given lectures at universities and other institutions around the world.