What was the immediate reason for Ahmad Shah Abdali to invade India and fight the third battle of Panipat?
✓ Correct answer: a) He wanted to avenge the expulsion by Marathas of his viceroy Timur Shah from Lahore.
ExplanationAhmad Shah Abdali invaded India because the Marathas had expelled his son, Timur Shah, from Lahore in 1758. Timur Shah was Abdali’s viceroy in Punjab, and his removal by the Marathas was seen as a direct challenge to Abdali’s authority.This greatly angered him, and he decided to take revenge.In 1760, he marched towards India to reclaim Punjab and restore his influence.This was the main reason behind the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761. Option (b) is incorrect : Adina Beg Khan was a Mughal officer who played an important role in Punjab’s politics.However, he did not invite Abdali to invade India.In fact, he had earlier invited the Marathas to fight against Abdali’s influence in Punjab.Option (c) is incorrect : Abdali had financial interests in India, and he did demand revenue from Mughal territories.However, this was not the main reason for his invasion.By 1760, the Mughal administration had already weakened, and the real power in North India was shifting towards the Marathas and other regional powers.Abdali’s main enemy at this time was not the Mughals but the Marathas, who
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