The Princely States and the First Kashmir War

About 565 princely states, ruled by maharajas and nawabs under British overlordship, covered roughly 40 percent of the subcontinent. When Britain left, their rulers were told to join India or Pakistan. Vallabhbhai Patel and his adviser V. P. Menon persuaded almost all to sign Instruments of Accession to India through a mix of diplomacy, guarantees and pressure. Three cases were difficult. Junagadh's Muslim ruler joined Pakistan despite a Hindu-majority population; India took control and held a referendum.

Hyderabad's Nizam sought independence until Indian troops entered in September 1948. Kashmir had a Hindu ruler, Hari Singh, and a Muslim majority. When tribal fighters from Pakistan invaded in October 1947, he signed accession to India in return for military help, and war followed. A UN-brokered ceasefire took effect on 1 January 1949, leaving Kashmir divided along a line that has remained contested ever since.