Three major categories of regional states emerged during the disintegration of Mughal power in the 18th century. The first category was of the 'Successor States' which included Hyderabad (Nizam-ul-Mulk, 1724), Bengal (Murshid Quli Khan, 1717) and Awadh (Sadat Khan Burhan-ul-Mulk, 1722); These states established self-rule but maintained nominal formal allegiance to the Mughal emperor and continued to issue coins and sermons in the emperor's name, hence statement D is incorrect. The second category was of 'independent states' which included Mysore (Hyder Ali), Kerala (King Marthanda Varma) and Rajput states, which emerged completely independent when Mughal power weakened. The third category was of 'new or rebellious states' which included the Marathas, Sikhs, Jats and Ruhela-Bangash Afghans, who had emerged on the strength of armed rebellion against the Mughal central authority. Hence, since statements A, B and C are correct, option A is the correct answer.

The non-European world was divided between Spain and Portugal on the instructions of Pope Alexander VI through the historic Treaty of Tordesillas, signed on 7 June 1494, by drawing an imaginary line 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands. In 1612, the British Navy under the leadership of Captain Thomas Best defeated the Portuguese in the sea battle of Swali near Surat and laid the foundation of a permanent English factory in Surat. On 13 February 1739, in the battle of Karnal, Persian ruler Nadir Shah defeated the huge army of Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah 'Rangeela' and carried out a gruesome massacre in Delhi and looted the Peacock Throne (Takht-e-Taus) and the Kohinoor diamond. On 22 January 1760, during the Third Carnatic War, British General Sir Eyre Coote defeated the French commander Count de Lally in the decisive Battle of Wandiwash, ending the French Empire in India. Hence the correct combination is A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4.

In 1717, through the efforts of the British East India Company's emissary John Surman (who also included surgeon William Hamilton), the Mughal emperor Farrukhsiyar issued an extremely comprehensive trade edict, which historian Robert Orme called the Company's 'Magna Carta'. Under this decree, the company got permission for customs free trade in Bengal on an annual payment of only ₹ 3,000 and got the right to issue 'Dastak' for the transportation of goods. All octroi taxes were waived in Surat at an annual fee of ₹10,000 and permission was given to lease 38 additional villages around Calcutta. The most important financial provision was that the Company's coins minted at the Bombay mint were given full recognition for circulation as official legal tender not only in Bengal but throughout the Mughal Empire. Hence, option C is the correct answer due to the incorrect provision.

The development of Portuguese administration in India is linked to the chronology of four major governors. The first governor, Francisco de Almeida (1505–1509), implemented the 'Blue Water Policy' and the Carthage-Armada system to establish complete control over the Indian Ocean and defeated the Egypt-Gujarat combined fleet at the Battle of Diu in 1509. Alfonso de Albuquerque (1509–1515) was the real founder of Portuguese power in India, capturing Goa in 1510, gaining control of Malacca and Hormuz, encouraging marriage with Indian women, and abolishing Sati in his territories. Nino da Cunha (1529–1538) moved the government headquarters from Cochin to Goa in 1530, made Goa the official capital, and established dominance over Bassein (1534), Diu (1535) and Hooghly. During the reign of Governor Martim Alfonso de Souza (1542-1545), the famous Christian Saint Francisco Xavier reached Goa for preaching. Hence, all four statements A, B, C and D are completely true.

The Dutch East India Company (VOC - Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie, 1602) established its first factory in India in 1605 at Masulipatnam (Andhra Pradesh). Pulicat became the main center of the Dutch in 1609, where they built 'Fort Galdria' and minted gold 'Pagoda' coins. In 1690, Nagapattinam on the Coromandel Coast replaced Pulicat as the main administrative center of the Dutch. The main trading center of the Dutch in Bengal was Chinsura, where they built 'Fort Gustavus'. Apart from this, the Dutch had famous factories in Surat (1616), Bimlipatnam (1641), Karaikal (1645), Cochin (1663) and Calicut (1666). In contrast, the foundation of 'Fort William' in Calcutta was laid in 1696-1700 by Job Charnock as the headquarters and military fort of the British East India Company, which had no connection with the Dutch. Hence option C is the correct answer.

In the post-Mughal period, 'Syed brothers' (Abdullah Khan and Hussain Ali Khan Barha) are famous in Indian history as 'Kingmakers'. He defeated Zulfikar Khan and Jahandar Shah in 1713 and made Farrukhsiyar the emperor. Later, when Farrukhsiyar hatched a conspiracy against them, in 1719 the Syed brothers, with the help of Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath, deposed Farrukhsiyar, blinded him and murdered him. He then succeeded Rafi-ud-Darajat (died of tuberculosis), Rafi-ud-Daula (died of dysentery) and finally Muhammad Shah 'Rangeela' on the throne in September 1719. In 1720, Hussain Ali was assassinated with the help of Turani group leader Chin Kilich Khan (Nizam-ul-Mulk) and Amin Khan and after the battle of Bilochpur in 1722, Abdullah Khan was captured and poisoned. Hence all four statements are true.

The foundation of British political dominance in Bengal was laid by the Battle of Plassey on 23 June 1757, where Robert Clive defeated Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula on the strength of the treachery of Mir Jafar, Rai Durlabh, Yar Latif and Jagat Seth and made Mir Jafar the puppet Nawab. In 1760, the Company replaced Mir Jafar with Mir Qasim as Nawab, who shifted the capital from Murshidabad to Munger for independent administration, established a cannon and gun factory there and abolished octroi taxes on all Indian traders on internal trade. This resulted in the historic Battle of Buxar on 22 October 1764, in which Major Hector Munro decisively defeated the combined triumvirate of the former Nawab of Bengal Mir Qasim, Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula of Awadh and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II. In August 1765, Clive implemented 'Dual Government' in Bengal through two treaties of Allahabad and received the civil rights of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa in exchange for an annual pension of ₹ 26 lakh. Hence all the statements are correct.

The Regulating Act of 1773 was the first direct legal attempt by the British Parliament to establish parliamentary control over the East India Company's Indian affairs. Under this, the Governor of Bengal was made 'Governor-General of Bengal', the highest administrative officer of the three presidencies (Bengal, Bombay, Madras) and Lord Warren Hastings became the first Governor-General. To assist the Governor-General, a 4-member council (Philip Francis, Clavering, Monson, Barwell) was formed in which decisions were taken by majority. In 1774, the Supreme Court was established in Calcutta with the Chief Justice Sir Elijah Impey and three other judges (Robert Chambers, Stephen Caesar Lemaester, John Hyde). This Act contained clear legal instructions that the 'Court of Directors', the governing body of the Company, would submit all reports on the revenue, civil and military affairs of India to the British Government (Crown), and not to the Governor-General. Hence option D is false.