Peace in NW India, war on coastal China

perfectgeneral

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If the British Empire had stayed on the defensive east of the Sutlej river and in Sindh, could the Afghan and Sikh wars have been avoided? Just guarding the Bolan pass and not the Khyber, would the Russians have taken India?

With greater forces and resources free to fight in China, would the treaties of 1842 and 1843 (maybe later now) have been more unequal?

I'm robbing Peter to pay Paul here and looking for consequences.
 
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The Russians aren't coming any time soon, they still haven't taken Khiva and Bokhara at this date. The best they could do would be to get a diplomatic up on Britain, make allies of the Sikhs perhaps

IMVHO

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With greater forces and resources free to fight in China, would the treaties of 1842 and 1843 (maybe later now) have been more unequal?

The British had no territorial designs on China. Full stop.

What you'd need is for China to continue their "insufferable arrogance" further. Then HEIC might escalate their war further.
 

perfectgeneral

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The British had no territorial designs on China. Full stop.

What you'd need is for China to continue their "insufferable arrogance" further. Then HEIC might escalate their war further.

Cession of Hong Kong defies that full stop. Cession of the trade cities of Shanghai, Ningbo, Xiamen, Fuzhou and Guangzhou (Weihaiwei too?) ensures British jurisdiction at the point of trade, exclusive residence and trade rights at these major ports, naval and army basing rights and a greater hold over the Qing dynasty. It would be harder for the US, France and Russia to claim similar deals on the coat tails of this one. Indeed Britain would be in a position to defend China from such claims. It seems to me that the HEIC were pushing in NW India when China was the open door. Excuses aside, all it takes is a change of strategy. Holding territories in China might even lead to owning tea plantations, breaking the Chinese monopoly. Something the HEIC wanted very much.
 
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