Question

why did the indian rulers oppose the British

Answer 1

Indian rulers oppose British because Britishers were acquiring the states of Indian ruler......

Answer 2

During the 1857, sepoys in Company employ sought help from Indian rulers and most decided not to help. Mughal dottart was too weak to help and too proud to say no - and he paid the ultimate price for it. Rajput rulers suppressed any revolt in their kingdoms and so did most Marathas. Nawabs and others also kept the British safe. Those who wanted to grab neighbouring lands, sided with the British (eg Gwalior) and did well out of it.

Indian rulers were on great terms with the British and provided soldiers, arms, ammunitions, planes and princes to fight in WWI and WWII. They gave costly gifts to the British who traipsed through their kingdoms and bowed low at the Delhi Durbar.

Sadly, they got very little in return for all this loyalty. For all the diamonds they gave, they only got dictionaries and Bibles in return (V&A exhibition). Despite cenementing British Empire with royal blood of young Indian princes, when it came to cementing their future, the British Viceroy told them to throw their lot with the democratically elected government and give up their lands and incomes to the new nation. 24 years later, British did not even fight for the Indian Princes when the Indian government violated their treaties and made paupers out of ancient princes.

So maybe your question should be, why were the British so against the Indian princes!