Dominion of India

Union of India
Union of India;
	1947–1950
	Flag Emblem [1]
Capital	New Delhi
Government	Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy
King
• 1947–1950	George VI
Governor-General
• 1947–1948	Louis Mountbatten
• 1948–1950	Chakravarti Rajagopalachari
Prime Minister
• 1947–1950	Jawaharlal Nehru[2]
Legislature	Constituent Assembly
History
• Indian Independence Act	15 August 1947
• Republican constitution adopted	26 January 1950
Area
1950	3,287,263 km2 (1,269,219 sq mi)
Currency	Indian rupee
Preceded by	Succeeded by
	British Raj
Republic of India

The Union of India,[3] also called the Dominion of India, was an independent dominion in the British Commonwealth of Nations between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950. It was created by the Indian Independence Act 1947 and was transformed into the Republic of India by the promulgation of the Constitution of India in 1950.[4]

The King was represented by the Governor-General of India. However, the Governor-General was not designated Viceroy, as had been customary under the British Raj. The office of Viceroy was abolished on independence. Two governors-general held office between independence and India's transformation into a republic: Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (1947–48) and Chakravarti Rajagopalachari (1948–50). Jawaharlal Nehru was Prime Minister of India throughout.

Formation

Since the late 1920s the Indian independence movement had been demanding Pūrṇa Swarāj (complete self-rule) for the Indian nation and the establishment of the Dominion of India and the Dominion of Pakistan was a major victory for the Swarajis. Nevertheless, the Partition was controversial among the people, and resulted in significant political instability and displacement.[5]

The 1946 Cabinet Mission to India proposed 'Union of India' as a political unit that would encompass both British India and the Indian princely states.[6] The Mission's plan did not come into fruition due to disagreements over the powers to be held by the Union government. On 3 June 1947, it was decided that British India would be partitioned into two sovereign states, both dominions: Pakistan, consisting of Muslim-majority regions, and India, consisting of the rest. In deference to the wishes of Indian National Congress, it was accepted that the partition would be regarded as the Muslim majority areas splitting off from India.[7]

The Partition of India took place on 15 August 1947,[8] leading to the creation of Pakistan (which later split into the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the People's Republic of Bangladesh in 1971) and India (later the Republic of India).

Most of the 565[9] princely states within Indian territory acceded to the Dominion of India. The Hindu-majority Junagadh State located in modern-day Gujarat attempted to accede to Pakistan under Nawab Sir Muhammad Mahabat Khanji III, who was a Muslim. It was annexed militarily by the Indian government. Similarly, the State of Hyderabad sought to remain independent and was also annexed by India in 1948.[5]

History

Conflict with Pakistan

The newly created states of Pakistan and India both joined the Commonwealth, a platform for cooperation between the countries that had been part of the British Empire. Nevertheless, they soon found themselves at war that began in October 1947, over the contested princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistani militants entered the state, alarming Maharaja Hari Singh who appealed to India for military intervention, in exchange for the signing of the Instrument of Accession and annexation into India. The region is contested to this day, and two other Indo-Pakistan wars occurred as part of the Kashmir conflict.[5]

The Dominion of India began working towards a constitution based on liberal democracy immediately after independence.

Republic of India

The Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution of India, drafted by a committee headed by B. R. Ambedkar, on 26 November 1949. India abolished the role of the constitutional monarchy and became a federal, democratic republic after its constitution came into effect on 26 January 1950; henceforth celebrated as Republic Day. The governmental structure was similar to that of the United Kingdom but within a federal system. Rajendra Prasad became the first President of India.

Government

List of Governors-General

Name (birth–death)	Took office	Left office	Appointer
Governors-General India, 1947–1950
The Viscount Mountbatten of Burma[10] (1900–1979)	15 August 1947	21 June 1948	George VI
Chakravarti Rajagopalachari (1878–1972)	21 June 1948	26 January 1950	George VI

List of prime ministers

Name (birth–death); constituency	Portrait	Party (Alliance)	Term of office[11]			Elections (Lok Sabha)	Council of Ministers	Appointed by
Jawaharlal Nehru (1889–1964) MP for Phulpur		Indian National Congress	15 August 1947	26 January 1950		—	Nehru I	Lord Mountbatten

References

"Press Communique' - State Emblem" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 February 2018.
As Prime Minister of India until 1964.
- Winegard, Timothy C. (2011), Indigenous Peoples of the British Dominions and the First World War, Cambridge University Press, p. 2, ISBN 978-1-107-01493-0 Quote: “The first collective use (of the word "dominion") occurred at the Colonial Conference (April to May 1907) when the title was conferred upon Canada and Australia. New Zealand and Newfoundland were afforded the designation in September of that same year, followed by South Africa in 1910. These were the only British possessions recognized as Dominions at the outbreak of war. In 1922, the Irish Free State was given Dominion status, followed by the short-lived inclusion of India and Pakistan in 1947 (although India was officially recognized as the Union of India). The Union of India became the Republic of India in 1950, while the became the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in 1956.”
Winegard, Timothy C. (2011), Indigenous Peoples of the British Dominions and the First World War, Cambridge University Press, pp. 2–, ISBN 978-1-107-01493-0
India: A History. New York, USA: Grove Press. 2000. ISBN 978-0-8021-3797-5.
Menon, Vapal Pangunni (2015), Transfer of Power in India, Princeton University Press, p. 264, ISBN 978-1-4008-7937-3
Pande, Aparna (2011), Explaining Pakistan’s Foreign Policy: Escaping India, Routledge, p. 178, note 52, ISBN 978-1-136-81894-3
Section 1 of the Indian Independence Act, 1947
"Indian Princely States before 1947 A-J".
Created Earl Mountbatten of Burma on 28 October 1947.
"Former Prime Ministers". PM India. Retrieved 2 January 2015.

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[State_Emblem_and_Seal-1] "Press Communique' - State Emblem" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 February 2018.

[2] As Prime Minister of India until 1964.

[unionofindia-3] Winegard, Timothy C. (2011), Indigenous Peoples of the British Dominions and the First World War, Cambridge University Press, p. 2, ISBN 978-1-107-01493-0 Quote: “The first collective use (of the word "dominion") occurred at the Colonial Conference (April to May 1907) when the title was conferred upon Canada and Australia. New Zealand and Newfoundland were afforded the designation in September of that same year, followed by South Africa in 1910. These were the only British possessions recognized as Dominions at the outbreak of war. In 1922, the Irish Free State was given Dominion status, followed by the short-lived inclusion of India and Pakistan in 1947 (although India was officially recognized as the Union of India). The Union of India became the Republic of India in 1950, while the became the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in 1956.”

[4] Winegard, Timothy C. (2011), Indigenous Peoples of the British Dominions and the First World War, Cambridge University Press, p. 2, ISBN 978-1-107-01493-0 Quote: “The first collective use (of the word "dominion") occurred at the Colonial Conference (April to May 1907) when the title was conferred upon Canada and Australia. New Zealand and Newfoundland were afforded the designation in September of that same year, followed by South Africa in 1910. These were the only British possessions recognized as Dominions at the outbreak of war. In 1922, the Irish Free State was given Dominion status, followed by the short-lived inclusion of India and Pakistan in 1947 (although India was officially recognized as the Union of India). The Union of India became the Republic of India in 1950, while the became the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in 1956.”

[4] Winegard, Timothy C. (2011), Indigenous Peoples of the British Dominions and the First World War, Cambridge University Press, pp. 2–, ISBN 978-1-107-01493-0

[Keay-5] India: A History. New York, USA: Grove Press. 2000. ISBN 978-0-8021-3797-5.

[Menon2015-6] Menon, Vapal Pangunni (2015), Transfer of Power in India, Princeton University Press, p. 264, ISBN 978-1-4008-7937-3

[7] Pande, Aparna (2011), Explaining Pakistan’s Foreign Policy: Escaping India, Routledge, p. 178, note 52, ISBN 978-1-136-81894-3

[8] Section 1 of the Indian Independence Act, 1947

[9] "Indian Princely States before 1947 A-J".

[10] Created Earl Mountbatten of Burma on 28 October 1947.

[11] "Former Prime Ministers". PM India. Retrieved 2 January 2015.

Commonwealth realms and dominions
Current	Antigua and Barbuda (monarchy) Australia (monarchy) Bahamas (monarchy) Barbados (monarchy) Belize (monarchy) Canada (monarchy) Grenada (monarchy) Jamaica (monarchy) Realm of New Zealand Cook Islands New Zealand Niue Papua New Guinea (monarchy) Saint Kitts and Nevis (monarchy) Saint Lucia (monarchy) Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (monarchy) Solomon Islands (monarchy) Tuvalu (monarchy) United Kingdom (monarchy)
Former	Ceylon Fiji (monarchy) The Gambia Ghana Guyana India Ireland (monarchy) Kenya Malawi Malta (monarchy) Mauritius Newfoundland¹ Nigeria Pakistan Rhodesia² Sierra Leone South Africa (monarchy) Tanganyika Trinidad and Tobago Uganda
¹ Annexed by Canada in 1949 ² Rhodesia unilaterally declared independence in 1965, but this was not recognised internationally. Declared itself a republic in 1970.

Part of a series on the
History of India
Satavahana gateway at Sanchi, 1st century CE
Ancient Madrasian culture Soanian, c. 500,000 BCE Neolithic, c. 7600 – c. 3300 BCE Bhirrana 7570 - 6200 BCE Jhusi 7106 BCE Lahuradewa 7000 BCE Mehrgarh 7000 - 2600 BCE Indus Valley Civilization, c. 3300 – c. 1700 BCE Post Indus Valley Period, c. 1700 – c. 1500 BCE Vedic Civilization, c. 1500 – c. 500 BCE Early Vedic Period Rise of Śramaṇa movement Later Vedic Period Spread of Jainism - Parshvanatha Spread of Jainism - Mahavira Rise of Buddhism Mahajanapadas, c. 500 – c. 345 BCE Nanda Dynasty, c. 345 – c. 322 BCE
Classical Maurya Dynasty, c. 322 – c. 185 BCE Sangam period Shunga Dynasty, c. 185 – c. 75 BCE Kanva Dynasty, c. 75 – c. 30 BCE Kushan Dynasty, c. 30 – c. 230 CE Satavahana Dynasty, c. 30 BCE – c. 220 CE Gupta Dynasty, c. 200 – c. 550 CE
Early medieval Chalukya Dynasty, c. 543 – c. 753 CE Harsha's Dynasty, c. 606 CE – c. 647 CE Karakota Dynasty, c. 724 – c. 760 CE Arab Invasion, c. 738 CE Tripartite Struggle, c. 760 – c. 973 CE Gurjara-Pratihara Dynasty Rastrakuta Dynasty Pala Dynasty Chola Dynasty, c. 848 – c. 1251 CE 2nd Chalukya Dynasty, c. 973 – c. 1187 CE
Late medieval Delhi Sultanate, c. 1206 – c. 1526 CE Slave Dynasty Khalji Dynasty Tugluq Dynasty Sayyid Dynasty Lodhi Dynasty Pandyan Dynasty, c. 1251 – c. 1323 CE Vijayanagara, c. 1336 – c. 1646 CE Bengal Sultanate, c. 1342 – c. 1576 CE
Early modern Mughal Dynasty, c. 1526 – c. 1540 CE Suri Dynasty, c. 1540 – c. 1556 CE Mughal Dynasty, c. 1556 – c. 1857 CE Bengal Subah, c. 1576 – c. 1757 CE Maratha Empire, c. 1674 – c. 1818 CE Company Raj, c. 1757 – c. 1858 CE Kingdom of Mysore, c. 1760 – c. 1799 CE Sikh Empire, c. 1799 – c. 1849 CE
Modern The Great Rebellion, c. 1857 – c. 1858 CE British Raj, c. 1858 – c. 1947 CE Independence Movement Independent India, c. 1947 CE – present
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