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In reality, power was now in the hands of many Muslim and Hindi local rulers, known as Rajahs or Sultans. India was politically fragmented by the time the British started to expand in India, which greatly facilitated their growing influence in the sub-continent.<ref> Faught, p. 67.</ref> If Britain had been faced with a strong government, it is highly unlikely that they would have been able to establish their empire in South Asia.<ref> Spear, Percival, ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140207708/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0140207708&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=07c32f76563db8e57e3d1bc8a2ada3c8 A History of India, Volume 2]'', New Delhi and London: Penguin Books.1990) p. 298.</ref>

India was not only weak at this time; it was also divided among many competing local leaders. The fragmentation of the Mughal Empire meant a great deal of instability over much of Indian. The local rulers fought each other endlessly, Muslims and Hindus fought each other and their co-religionists. Warfare was endemic in much of the sub-continent by the early decades of the eighteenth century. <ref> Spear, p. 98 #.</ref>". Many Indians welcomed the British's stability, especially in the late eighteenth century, although they resented the various taxes imposed on them by the foreigners.