Review the relations of the Government of India with Indian states between 1858 and 1918.

The Government of India, also known as the British Indian government, was the government of British India from 1858 to 1947. During this period, the government had a complex relationship with the Indian states, which were a mix of princely states and British-administered provinces.

Before 1858, the East India Company, a British trading company, was responsible for the administration of India. However, after the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the British government took direct control of India and established the Government of India, with the Governor-General of India as the head of the government. The Governor-General was appointed by the British government and had significant powers, including the ability to appoint and dismiss the members of the Indian Civil Service, which was responsible for the administration of the British-administered provinces.

The princely states, on the other hand, were ruled by Indian royalty and had a degree of autonomy. They were not directly controlled by the Government of India, but they were required to accept British suzerainty and follow certain rules, such as not engaging in foreign relations without the permission of the British government. In return, the princely states were granted internal autonomy and were allowed to maintain their own armies and civil service.

During this period, the Government of India had a number of conflicts with the princely states, particularly over issues such as taxation and the rights of British officials in the states. There were also efforts by the government to exert more control over the princely states, such as the 1919 Indian States Peoples Act, which granted Indian citizens in the states certain rights and freedoms.

Overall, the relationship between the Government of India and the Indian states was complex and often contentious, with the government attempting to balance the desire for control with the need to maintain good relations with the princely states.