Annexation of Sindh (1843) - Causes, Anglo-Sindh Conflict & UPSC Analysis

Anglo-Sindh War: Causes and Consequences

The Anglo-Sindh war was a crucial conflict between the company and Sindh in 1843. These wars resulted in British annexation of Sindh and played a significant role in the British expansion of British rule in India.

Causes

The English East India Company aim to secure and expand its territories in India. Moreover, Sindh's strategic position with its proximity with the Indus river and the Arabian sea made it a valuable asset for controlling trade routes.
The British also wanted to establish a foothold in Sindh to secure the north-western frontier territory so as to counter the potential threat from the Russian invasion through Afghanistan.
One more reason of annexation was the defeat of British in the First Anglo-Afghan war (1839-42). This defeat crated a need for conquest so as to compensate loss of prestige after humiliation suffered in the war.

Major Events in the Anglo-Sindh conflict

The first moves was towards diplomatic alliance with Sindh, made by Lord Minto I who signed a treaty in 1809 with Amirs of Sindh.
The second move was made in 1832 when Lord Willian Bentick and Amirs of Sindh singed a treaty which was commercially singed for the British as it allowed the company to use the roads and rives passing through Sindh.
The third important move was made by Lord Auckland whose Sindh policy contains and element of aggressiveness. He looked upon Sindh as a territory with strategic location where the control of British is need to strengthen the defense of British in India. In 1838 he signed a Treaty of Tripartite alliance with Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Shah Shuja. The treaty removed 2 major influence upon Sindh that is Punjab and Afghanistan. The treaty ended with Shah Shuja's nominal claim of sovereignty over Amirs of Sindh through the treaty of Britishers emerged as mediator in case of conflict between Maharaja Ranjit and Amirs of Sindh. Finally, in 1839 the Amirs of Sindh signed a Treaty of Subsidiary Alliance.
The last move taken by the Lord Ellen Borough. He appointed Charles Napier as the resident in 1842 who played an instrumental role in annexation of Sindh. He initiated the policy of putting blames over the Amirs of Sindh on the ground that they has hostile intentions towards company. Finally on the bases of some fake letters of Amis he created the immediate cause of annexation of Sindh in 1843. Sindh was finally annexed after the defeat of Amirs in the Battle of Miani, Feb 1843 and the Battle of Dubbo also known as the Battle of Hyderabad in March 1843.
Napier inform about the victory over the Sindh to Ellen Brough with a short message Peccavi (The Latin for I has sinned). Napier wrote in his diary "We have no right to cease Sindh yet we do so and a very advantageous useful, human peace of rascality it will be".

Anglo-Sindh War: Causes and Consequences

Causes

The English East India Company aim to secure and expand its territories in India. Moreover, Sindh's strategic position with its proximity with the Indus river and the Arabian sea made it a valuable asset for controlling trade routes.
The British also wanted to establish a foothold in Sindh to secure the north-western frontier territory so as to counter the potential threat from the Russian invasion through Afghanistan.
One more reason of annexation was the defeat of British in the First Anglo-Afghan war (1839-42). This defeat crated a need for conquest so as to compensate loss of prestige after humiliation suffered in the war.

Major Events in the Anglo-Sindh conflict

The first moves was towards diplomatic alliance with Sindh, made by Lord Minto I who signed a treaty in 1809 with Amirs of Sindh.
The second move was made in 1832 when Lord Willian Bentick and Amirs of Sindh singed a treaty which was commercially singed for the British as it allowed the company to use the roads and rives passing through Sindh.
The third important move was made by Lord Auckland whose Sindh policy contains and element of aggressiveness. He looked upon Sindh as a territory with strategic location where the control of British is need to strengthen the defense of British in India. In 1838 he signed a Treaty of Tripartite alliance with Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Shah Shuja. The treaty removed 2 major influence upon Sindh that is Punjab and Afghanistan. The treaty ended with Shah Shuja's nominal claim of sovereignty over Amirs of Sindh through the treaty of Britishers emerged as mediator in case of conflict between Maharaja Ranjit and Amirs of Sindh. Finally, in 1839 the Amirs of Sindh signed a Treaty of Subsidiary Alliance.
The last move taken by the Lord Ellen Borough. He appointed Charles Napier as the resident in 1842 who played an instrumental role in annexation of Sindh. He initiated the policy of putting blames over the Amirs of Sindh on the ground that they has hostile intentions towards company. Finally on the bases of some fake letters of Amis he created the immediate cause of annexation of Sindh in 1843. Sindh was finally annexed after the defeat of Amirs in the Battle of Miani, Feb 1843 and the Battle of Dubbo also known as the Battle of Hyderabad in March 1843.
Napier inform about the victory over the Sindh to Ellen Brough with a short message Peccavi (The Latin for I has sinned). Napier wrote in his diary "We have no right to cease Sindh yet we do so and a very advantageous useful, human peace of rascality it will be".