Assertion (A) : During the reign of Shahjahan, Dara Sikoh was sent on expedition to Balkha, Badakh-shan and Qandahar. Reason (R) : The expedition sent by Shahjahan to the Middle-East was a marvellous success.

The correct answer is Option 3: A is true, but R is false.

Assertion (A) is true: During Shah Jahan's reign, his eldest son, Dara Shikoh, was indeed dispatched on several military expeditions to the northwestern frontiers. Most notably, in 1653, he led a massive army to recapture Qandahar after previous failures by his brother, Aurangzeb. He was also involved in the strategic planning and oversight of the "Central Asian" campaigns aimed at Balkh and Badakhshan.

Reason (R) is false: The Mughal expeditions to the Middle East and Central Asia were strategic failures. While the Mughals initially occupied Balkh and Badakhshan (1646-47), they could not sustain the occupation due to harsh weather, hostile tribes, and immense financial drain, leading to a retreat. Similarly, all three sieges of Qandahar (1649, 1652, 1653) failed to reclaim the fort from the Safavids. Thus, these campaigns were far from a "marvellous success."