Who believed that the Russian designs were 'an imminent peril to the security and tranquility' of the Indian Empire in 1836?

Lord Auckland, who arrived as Governor-General of India in 1836, was a primary proponent of the 'Forward Policy' [1]. This policy was driven by the intense fear of Russian expansion in Central Asia, which British officials viewed as a direct threat to the Indian Empire. In 1836, Auckland expressed his belief that Russian designs constituted an 'imminent peril to the security and tranquility' of the British dominion [1]. This strategic anxiety was fueled by the Anglo-Russian rivalry, often termed the 'Great Game,' where Afghanistan was seen as a crucial buffer zone. Auckland's concerns led him to reject the conditional friendship of Dost Mohammed and eventually initiate the First Anglo-Afghan War to secure the frontier against potential Russian military threats and commercial penetration [1].

Sources

1. [1] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 5: Expansion and Consolidation of British Power in India > Forward Policy of Auckland > p. 129