The term “imperial preference” was applied to the

1. The question asks for the meaning of the term "imperial preference" in the context of British India. 2. Imperial preference was an economic policy involving reciprocal tariffs or free trade agreements between dominions and colonies within the British Empire. 3. In the context of India, this meant granting special privileges, such as lower customs duties, on British imports into India, compared to goods imported from non-Empire countries. This policy favoured British goods in the Indian market. 4. Option (A) directly describes this system of preferential treatment for British imports.