Plan Balkan and the Integration Problem at Withdrawal
Modern History › Independence With Partition · Topic 25.4
Plan Balkan was Mountbatten's plan of March to May 1947 to transfer power to separate provinces, with Punjab and Bengal able to vote on partition and the princely states free to join India or Pakistan or stay separate; it was dropped after Nehru reacted violently. The states' accession was then handled by Vallabhbhai Patel in two phases: by 15 August 1947 all but Kashmir, Hyderabad and Junagarh had acceded on defence, external affairs and communications, and integration followed within a year.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Independence With Partition
At a Glance
- Plan Balkan March to May 1947; abandoned after Nehru’s reaction
- States Department Patel took charge in July 1947
- Phase I By 15 August 1947 all but Kashmir, Hyderabad and Junagarh acceded
- Phase II Integration within about a year; privy purses offered
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Modern History: Independence With Partition
Where Does It Fit?
This is the fourth and last topic of the category on independence with partition. The previous topic covered why the Congress accepted partition. This topic covers Plan Balkan and the integration of the princely states. The next category begins with the administrative and judicial developments under British rule. Previous topic: Interim Government…">Why Congress Accepted Partition.
What Was Plan Balkan?
Between March and May 1947 Mountbatten decided that the Cabinet Mission Plan had become untenable and prepared an alternative. The plan envisaged the transfer of power to separate provinces, or to a confederation if one was formed before the transfer, with Punjab and Bengal given the option to vote for partition of their provinces. The units thus formed, together with the princely states, made independent by the lapse of paramountcy, would have the option of joining India or Pakistan or remaining separate. The plan was quickly abandoned after Nehru reacted violently to it. The Cabinet Mission Plan is in Cabinet Mission Plan, 1946, and the plan that replaced Plan Balkan in Mountbatten Plan of 3 June 1947.
Why Were the Princely States a Problem?
Attlee’s statement had said that British powers and obligations towards the states would lapse at the transfer of power, as in Attlee’s Statement of 20 February 1947, which raised the risk of the country breaking into many parts. In 1946-47 there was a new upsurge of the States People’s Movement, demanding political rights and elective representation in the Constituent Assembly. Nehru presided over the sessions of the All India States People’s Conference at Udaipur in 1945 and Gwalior in April 1947, and declared that states refusing to join the Constituent Assembly would be treated as hostile. The partition plan ruled out independence for the princely states, which could have been a greater danger to Indian unity than partition itself.
How Did Patel Integrate the States?
In July 1947, Vallabhbhai Patel took charge of the new States Department. Under Patel, the incorporation of the states took place in two phases, with a skilful mix of baits and threats of mass pressure in both.
| Phase | Details |
|---|---|
| Phase I | By 15 August 1947 all states except Kashmir, Hyderabad and Junagarh had signed an instrument of accession with the Indian government, acknowledging central authority over defence, external affairs and communications. The princes agreed fairly easily, because they were surrendering only what they never had, as these three subjects had been part of British paramountcy, and there was no change in the internal political structure |
| Phase II | A harder process of integration of states with neighbouring provinces or into new units like the Kathiawar Union, Vindhya and Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan or Himachal Pradesh, with internal constitutional changes in states such as Hyderabad, Mysore and Travancore-Cochin, which kept their old boundaries for some years. It was done within a year; the main bait was a generous privy purse, and some princes were made governors and rajpramukhs in free India |
This rapid political unification of the country after independence is called Patel’s greatest achievement. As an analytical point, the two-phase approach worked because the first asked the princes to give up nothing they had held under the British, and the second came after the accession had already established central authority, so each step was presented as a small change from the last. The wider story of the states after 1947, including Kashmir and Hyderabad, is outside this account of the withdrawal.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Plan Balkan A named plan with a clear reason for its abandonment
- Patel’s two phases A standard Prelims and Mains point
- Privy purses Linked to later constitutional history
What Came Next?
The next category begins with the evolution of the civil services, covering administrative and judicial developments under British rule. Next topic: Evolution of the Civil Services: Cornwallis to the Charter Act of 1853.
Key People and Terms
- Plan Balkan Mountbatten’s plan of 1947 for transfer to separate units
- Instrument of accession Document by which a state joined India
- States Department The department under Patel from July 1947
- Privy purse Allowance given to princes after integration
- Rajpramukh The head of a merged group of states
- All India States People’s Conference The body Nehru presided over in 1945 and 1947
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Plan Balkan: March to May 1947; dropped after Nehru reacted.
- Patel took charge of the States Department in July 1947.
- Phase I: accession on defence, external affairs, communications.
- Not acceded by 15 August: Kashmir, Hyderabad, Junagarh.
- Phase II completed within about a year; privy purse.
Do Not Confuse With
- Plan Balkan and the Mountbatten Plan The first was dropped; the second was adopted
- Phase I and Phase II Accession on three subjects, then integration into units
- Paramountcy and privy purse Paramountcy lapsed; privy purse was a payment
Memory Hook
Balkan broke in the cabinet room; Patel put the states back in two steps.
Mains Angle
Questions ask about Patel’s integration of the states. These points add depth.
- Problem Lapse of paramountcy and risk of fragmentation
- Method Two phases of baits and pressure
- Achievement Rapid political unification
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Explain the process of integration of the princely states into India in 1947-48 and the role of Vallabhbhai Patel.”
How to Answer
- Problem Paramountcy lapse and Plan Balkan.
- Pressure States People’s Movement.
- Phases Accession and integration.
- Conclude Patel’s achievement.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Plan Balkan?
Plan Balkan was Mountbatten's plan of March to May 1947 for transferring power to separate provinces or a confederation, with Punjab and Bengal able to vote on partition and princely states free to join India or Pakistan or stay separate. It was quickly dropped after Nehru reacted violently.
Why did the princely states pose a problem in 1947?
British paramountcy was to lapse at the transfer of power, leaving the states free in law to join either dominion or remain independent, which risked the Balkanisation of the country. The States People's Movement also demanded political rights and representation in the Constituent Assembly.
What was Phase I of the integration of the states?
By 15 August 1947 all states except Kashmir, Hyderabad and Junagarh had signed an instrument of accession acknowledging central authority over defence, external affairs and communications. The princes agreed because they were giving up only what they never had and their internal structure was unchanged.
What was Phase II of the integration of the states?
The second phase merged states with neighbouring provinces or into new units like the Kathiawar Union, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh, along with internal changes in states such as Hyderabad, Mysore and Travancore-Cochin. It was done within a year with generous privy purses as the main bait.
Who led the integration of the princely states?
Vallabhbhai Patel took charge of the new States Department in July 1947 and led the integration in two phases, combining baits with threats of mass pressure. The rapid political unification of the country after independence is regarded as his greatest achievement.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Plan Balkan was adopted by Mountbatten after Nehru approved it.
It was abandoned after Nehru reacted violently.
2 Patel took charge of the States Department in July 1947.
He led the integration of the princes.
3 By 15 August 1947 all states except Kashmir, Hyderabad and Junagarh had acceded.
They acceded on defence, external affairs and communications.
4 Privy purses were the main bait in the second phase of integration.
Some princes were also made governors.
5 In the first phase the states surrendered control of their internal administration.
There was no change in the internal political structure.
Related Topics
Browse the full Modern History index