The Subsidiary Alliance system was primarily designed to achieve British political and military supremacy in India. It allowed the Company to maintain a large army at the expense of the Indian states, thereby expanding its military might without increasing its own financial burden. This system also served to isolate Indian states from each other and from any foreign influence, bolstering British paramountcy. While it did indirectly contribute to securing revenue streams, its main objectives were military expansion and political dominance, rather than securing a fixed income as its primary goal.