The German military successfully dug dozens of tons of gold out of ancient temples in Kerala, southwestern India, greatly encouraging the other units. General Ludendorff, commander of the 8th Army Corps, and General François, commander of the 4th Army Corps, both issued orders requiring every unit to search for ancient temples and excavate their treasures.
For a time, hundreds of thousands of German soldiers, operating by battalion and company, fanned out in all directions to search for India's ancient temples and dig them up. Some temples did indeed yield gold or other treasures. Others, however, yielded nothing at all.
The German military's actions aroused fierce dissatisfaction among the Indian natives, while the Indian National Congress and the Green Party Alliance took the opportunity to stir up trouble. Before long, demonstrations and even riots against the German military erupted across India. Some radical Indian natives even laid siege to German troops destroying ancient temples. Naturally, before the German military armed to the teeth, these Indian natives gained no advantage whatsoever.
Both General Ludendorff and General François issued orders that, once attacked, the German military could retaliate with full force. As a result, the Indian natives suffered grievous losses. Quite a few of them died beneath German gunfire.
With their lives under threat, the Indian natives no longer dared oppose the German military. Yet their hatred for the German military was buried deep in their hearts. It was precisely for these reasons that Germany was unwilling to rule India directly. Otherwise, it would face the Indian natives' endless attacks and the German military would be run ragged dealing with them. Handing India over to the Princely Rulers to govern could neatly avoid these problems. After all, those dealing with the Indian natives would then be the Princely Rulers, not Germany. Germany only