Hyderabad's Accession and Operation Polo Explained

At the end of British paramountcy more than 500 princely states controlled large swathes of territory inside the subcontinent. When British authority lapsed, each ruler could in theory choose accession to India, accession to Pakistan, or independence. The Indian leadership treated the princely states as integral to national unity. The principal legal instrument used was the Instrument of Accession, by which a ruler ceded defence, external affairs and communications while retaining internal autonomy initially. Political integration was managed through a dedicated States Department staffed to negotiate, cajole and, where necessary, apply pressure. The Department combined legal offers, administrative incentives and political dialogue to secure most accessions peacefully. Some holdouts, however, presented exceptional problems because of their size, location or internal politics.