British government formulated a new policy to gain the support and cooperation of parties and groups who would remain loyal to it in colonial India. For instance, it patronised feudal lords to control people through their collaboration.

To keep their property intact, British government passed laws that prevented any division of the property and in case of minors (children), the property was administered and supervised by a court of ward till the child reached adulthood. In Punjab, a law was passed to prohibit people from purchasing landed property.

In 1887, the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria was held; this dazzling show created an impression that India was a part of British Empire and Indians were its subject. In 1889, her Diamond Jubilee festivities were organised to assert the authority and power of the Queen. It was also propagated that the Queen had taken the place of the Mughal emperor.

The British government too started to hold darbar just like the Mughal emperors did. The main motive was to display the glory and grandeur of the British Empire. Soon the governors as well as the commissioners also held darbars to show their authority over ordinary people. However, the darbar of the viceroy superseded all, where all the rulers of native states, feudal lords and prominent individuals were obliged to attend and express their loyalty to the government.

In 1903, Lord Curzon, the viceroy, also organised a darbar where all the rulers of large and small princely states participated. Another important darbar was held in 1911, in which two important announcements were made — it declared the partition of Bengal and the second was the shifting of the capital of British India from Kolkata to New Delhi.