Assertion (A): Marathas emerged as the strongest native power in India after the decline of Mughal empire. Reason (R): Marathas were the first to have clear concept of a united Indian nation.

Assertion A is true because after the decline of the Mughal Empire in the 18th century, the Marathas became the most powerful political and military force in India, controlling vast territories and collecting taxes from various regions. Reason R is false because the Marathas did not have a modern concept of a united Indian nation. Their political ideology was primarily centered on Maratha Swarajya and later expanded into a confederacy aimed at political dominance and revenue collection rather than building a singular national identity in the modern sense. The concept of a united Indian nation emerged much later during the Indian national movement in the 19th and 20th centuries. Therefore, A is true but R is false.