Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation
The motive behind Shah Jahan's Balkh campaign was to:
Solution & Analysis
Answer: A
Concept
While the Mughals always had an emotional attachment to their Central Asian ancestral lands, their military campaigns there were often driven by the practical need to secure the 'gateway' to India—Kabul.Explanation
In 1646, Shah Jahan launched the Balkh and Badakshan campaign primarily to install a friendly or puppet ruler in these buffer zones. These regions were critical because they sat on trade routes and served as a defensive shield for Kabul, preventing independent Central Asian tribes from threatening the Mughal borders.Logical Breakup
Logic 1: The campaign wasn't about a permanent conquest of the distant homelands like Ferghana, which would have been logistically impossible. It was about creating a secure diplomatic 'buffer.'
Logic 2: By controlling the rulers of Balkh, Shah Jahan intended to stabilize the northwestern frontier and ensure that Kabul remained a safe province within the empire.