Integration of Princely States

2.1 The Framework: Instrument of Accession

The Instrument of Accession (IoA) was a legal document by which a princely state's ruler agreed to cede authority over three subjects to the Dominion of India:

• Defence
• External affairs
• Communications

All other matters remained with the state. The IoA was drafted by V.P. Menon and approved by Mountbatten, who also personally cajoled many reluctant rulers.

Sardar Patel's Strategy

Rather than coercion, Patel offered princes generous privy purses (annual payments), retention of personal property, and continuation of state honours. His famous appeal was that the princes must join the Indian Union not as enemies but as partners.

By 15 August 1947, 565 of the 562 states (several had multiple sub-holders) had signed the IoA — a remarkable diplomatic achievement completed in less than two months.

2.2 Problem Cases: Hyderabad, Junagadh, Kashmir

Hyderabad

The Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan, ruled the largest and most wealthy princely state:

• Area: 82,697 sq miles; Population: 16 million (1948)
• He refused accession, signed a "Standstill Agreement" in November 1947, and sought UN membership
• The Razakars — a paramilitary force led by Qasim Razvi under the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen — terrorised Hindus and dissidents

After diplomatic efforts failed, Sardar Patel ordered Operation Polo (officially a "Police Action") on 13 September 1948. The Indian Army under Major General J.N. Chaudhuri defeated Hyderabad in 108 hours (5 days). The Nizam surrendered on 17 September 1948. Hyderabad was later reorganised into Andhra Pradesh (1956), Karnataka, and Maharashtra.

Junagadh

Located in Kathiawar (present-day Gujarat), Junagadh had a Muslim ruler (Nawab Muhammad Mahabat Khan) but an overwhelmingly Hindu population (80%+). The Nawab announced accession to Pakistan in September 1947 and fled after Indian takeover became imminent.

India occupied Junagadh in November 1947 and conducted a plebiscite in February 1948 — 99.95% voted to join India. Junagadh is now part of Gujarat.

Kashmir (Jammu & Kashmir)

The most complex and consequential case. Maharaja Hari Singh — a Hindu ruler of a Muslim-majority state — sought independence. In October 1947, Pakistani-backed tribal lashkars (militias) invaded from the northwest and advanced towards Srinagar.

Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession on 26 October 1947 with India, and Indian troops were airlifted to Srinagar on 27 October 1947. The accession was subject to a plebiscite once peace was restored — a condition never fulfilled.

PM Nehru took the matter to the UN Security Council in January 1948, resulting in a ceasefire on 1 January 1949 that froze the Line of Control. The accession's conditional nature, Special Status under Article 370, and subsequent history have remained contested.

2.3 Merger of French and Portuguese Territories

French India

Pondicherry (Puducherry), Karikal, Mahé, and Yanam were French enclaves. After prolonged negotiations, France transferred Pondicherry on 1 November 1954 (officially 28 May 1956); the French formally ceded all their Indian territories.

Portuguese India (Goa)

Despite negotiations, Portugal refused to cede Goa, Daman, and Diu. India launched Operation Vijay on 18 December 1961 — a 36-hour military operation under Lt. Gen. J.N. Chaudhuri that captured Goa on 19 December 1961. Goa became a Union Territory (1961) and later India's 25th state (1987).

2.4 The Five Phases of Integration

V.P. Menon described the integration process in five phases:

1. Accession — IoA signed (defence, foreign, communications)
2. Merger — states merged into provinces or centrally administered
3. Formation of Unions — small states grouped into Unions (e.g., Rajasthan, Saurashtra, PEPSU, Vindhya Pradesh)
4. Part A, B, C, D classification — under the Constitution of 1950
5. States Reorganisation — linguistic consolidation under the 1956 Act

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