Mountbatten Plan

This is perhaps the most decisive phase of India’s freedom story, when the British, realizing that unity had become impossible, planned their own exit through Partition.

The Mountbatten Plan (June 3, 1947) — though often portrayed as a quick administrative measure — was actually the culmination of years of political deadlock, communal tension, and imperial strategy.

Let’s understand this:

The Arrival of Lord Mountbatten – The Last Viceroy of British India

When Lord Louis Mountbatten arrived in India in March 1947, he came with a clear mission:

“To wind up the British Raj and transfer power by June 30, 1948.”

However, the ground reality was chaotic:

• Communal riots were spreading across the country.
• The Congress–League divide had deepened.
• Jinnah remained unyielding on his demand for Pakistan.

Mountbatten initially spent about two months trying to build consensus between the two parties — but soon realized that reconciliation was impossible.

He concluded that Partition was inevitable.
However, rather than genuinely attempting to preserve unity, he chose a pragmatic (and politically convenient) approach — he sought to divide India quickly while keeping both sides somewhat satisfied, and ensuring that both new dominions — India and Pakistan — would remain within the British Commonwealth.

The Hidden Prelude – The “Plan Balkan” (April 1947)

Before finalizing the Partition plan, Mountbatten briefly explored another idea — known as the “Plan Balkan” or “Dickie Bird Plan.”

A. Essence of the Plan

The Balkan Plan proposed complete decentralisation of power:

• Each province of British India would become an independent successor state.
• Provinces and princely states could choose freely whether to join India, Pakistan, or remain independent.
• Even Punjab and Bengal would have the right to vote on their own partition.

B. Meaning and Implication

The idea resembled what had happened in the Balkans of Europe — where one large entity had fragmented into multiple small, unstable nations.
Hence, the term “Balkanisation” — i.e., division of a country into many smaller, often hostile units.

C. Rejection

This plan was strongly opposed, especially by Jawaharlal Nehru, who saw it as a formula for total chaos — leading to dozens of small, weak, and unviable states.
Thus, the Balkan Plan was dropped — paving the way for the more organized, though equally tragic, Mountbatten Plan.

The Mountbatten Plan (3rd June 1947) – The Blueprint for Partition

On 3 June 1947, Lord Mountbatten formally announced his Partition Plan, known as the 3rd June Plan.

The Plan’s objective was twofold:

• To divide India, acknowledging political realities.
• Yet to retain as much unity as possible, by keeping both new dominions tied to the British Commonwealth.

In short:

Pakistan would be created to satisfy the League,
but it would be kept as small as possible to satisfy the Congress.

Key Features / Important Provisions

1. Division into Two Dominions:
   • British India would be divided into:
     • The Dominion of India, and
     • The Dominion of Pakistan,
       effective from 15 August 1947.
2. Status of Princely States:
   • They could join either India or Pakistan,
   • But they were not allowed to remain independent.
   • This fulfilled the Congress demand, especially supported by Sardar Patel, that there should be no fragmentation through independent princely states.
3. Partition of Bengal and Punjab:
   • The legislative assemblies of Bengal and Punjab would be divided into two sections:
     • One representing Muslim-majority districts, and
     • The other representing Hindu-majority districts.
   • Each section would vote separately on whether their province should be partitioned.
   • If either side voted for partition, the province would be divided.
4. Plebiscites (Referendums):
   • North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Sylhet (in Assam) would hold plebiscites to decide whether to join India or Pakistan.
5. If Partition Occurred:
   • A Boundary Commission would demarcate the borders between India and Pakistan.
   • Two Dominions and two Constituent Assemblies would be established.

Implementation of the Plan

• On 20 June 1947, the Bengal Legislative Assembly voted for partition:
  • West Bengal → India.
  • East Bengal → Pakistan.
• The Punjab Assembly did the same:
  • East Punjab → India.
  • West Punjab → Pakistan.

Both Congress and Muslim League eventually accepted the Mountbatten Plan, though for opposite reasons — Congress to gain immediate power and stability, League to gain Pakistan.

Early Transfer of Power – The Race to August 15

Initially, Mountbatten had been instructed to work toward transfer of power by June 1948.
But he advanced the date by ten months, announcing that power would be transferred on 15 August 1947.

Why Did He Advance the Date?

1. To secure Congress’s acceptance of the Dominion Status formula.
2. To escape British responsibility for the worsening communal situation.
   (Essentially, the sooner they left, the less they would be blamed.)

Mountbatten later justified the choice of date sentimentally — it was the second anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II — a symbolic “victory day” for him personally.

Why the Congress Accepted Dominion Status

At first glance, one might wonder: Why did Congress, after decades of fighting for Purna Swaraj (complete independence), accept Dominion Status?

Here were the pragmatic reasons:

(1) To Assume Power Quickly

The country was sliding into communal anarchy.
Taking power immediately was the only way to control violence and restore order.
Sardar Patel’s candid words to the Viceroy summed it up perfectly:

“You won’t govern yourself and won’t let us govern.”

(2) To Ensure Administrative Continuity

Accepting Dominion Status allowed some British officials to remain temporarily in key positions, giving time for Indian leaders and administrators to gain experience and stabilize governance.

Thus, accepting Dominion Status was seen as a tactical compromise, not a defeat of ideals.

The Hasty Transfer – The Tragedy of Speed

The entire process, from announcement (3 June) to transfer (15 August), happened in just 72 days — an astonishingly short time for dividing a vast subcontinent.

Consequences:

• Administrative chaos:
  There was simply no time to plan a smooth transition of governments, armies, services, or finances.
• Violence and displacement:
  The Boundary Commission, headed by Sir Cyril Radcliffe, finalized its award on 12 August 1947 — but Mountbatten delayed its announcement until after 15 August, so that Britain wouldn’t be blamed for its consequences.
• Human confusion:
  In the border regions, both Indian and Pakistani flags were hoisted.
  Ordinary people went to sleep believing they belonged to one country — and woke up to find themselves in another.
  The result was massive migration, riots, and one of the greatest human tragedies in history.

In Retrospect – The Dual Legacy of the Mountbatten Plan

Positive Aspect	Negative Aspect
Brought immediate independence after centuries of colonial rule.	Achieved freedom through Partition, accompanied by immense bloodshed.
Prevented a prolonged civil war by giving both sides something to accept.	The haste and poor preparation caused administrative collapse and chaos.
Allowed India to inherit a functioning state structure and join the Commonwealth.	Left behind a legacy of communal division and unresolved territorial disputes.

In Essence

The Mountbatten Plan was not just a plan for Partition — it was a plan for British withdrawal.
It secured Britain’s honourable exit, Congress’s immediate power, and the League’s Pakistan —
but at the cost of India’s unity and peace.