Integration of Indian States and Kashmir Issue

On the day British paramountcy ended, India was not one country but roughly one country plus more than five hundred princely states, each legally free to join India, join Pakistan, or attempt to stay independent. That most of them joined India within months, and one of them is still disputed today, is the whole of this topic.

In two minutes

Sardar Patel and V. P. Menon integrated the overwhelming majority of princely states into India through negotiated Instruments of Accession, while Junagadh, Hyderabad and Kashmir each became exceptions requiring force, a plebiscite question, or war before their status was resolved.

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