India’s Integration and Merger

What are mergers and acquisitions?

India’s integration and merger is a story that is largely unknown to most people. In fact, the process of integrating princely states into the Indian Union was one of the most difficult tasks that Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel had to accomplish.

The merger of princely states into the Indian union

To discuss the merger of princely states into the Indian union, here are the important points:

• During independence, the British planned to leave the Indian subcontinent with a fractured mess. The intention was to maintain their hegemony over the region by keeping India weak and divided. In the year 1947, British India was partitioned into two countries-India and Pakistan.
• The reason for this division was that the Muslims, who constituted around 27% of the population, wanted a separate country where they could be in majority. On the other hand, the Hindus, who constituted around 55% of the population, wanted to stay together in a united India. The British played on these religious differences and created two separate countries.
• However, the British plan failed miserably. The partition of India led to one of the biggest humanitarian disasters in world history.

Princely states during the British Raj

There were around 650 princely states in India during the British Raj. The largest and most powerful of these were Hyderabad, Kashmir, Mysore and Baroda. The smallest were the Agencies and Chiefdoms, which ranged in size from a few villages to a single town.

Most of these states were granted a degree of autonomy by the British, ruling themselves through their own legislatures and cabinets. However, they were also required to pay taxes to the British in various forms and to have their foreign policy dictated by the Indian government. They were also subject to what was called paramountcy, which meant that if the ruler of a state died without a natural heir, his territory would revert to British control. India’s Integration and Merger

Hyderabad:

This large and prosperous princely state was located in the south of India. It had a population of over 26 million and covered an area of 82,698 square kilometres. The Nizam, who ruled Hyderabad, was one of the richest men in the world and had his own private army of over 100,000 men.

The Nizam was a Muslim and did not want to merge his state with the Hindu-dominated Indian Union. However, in 1948 the Indian government sent in troops to occupy Hyderabad and forced it to merge with the Indian Union.

Kashmir:

The princely state of Kashmir was located in the north of India, bordering Pakistan. It had a population of over a million and covered an area of 84,471 square kilometres. The Maharaja of Kashmir was a Hindu and did not want to merge his state with Muslim-dominated Pakistan. However, in 1947 the Pakistani army invaded Kashmir and forced it to merge with Pakistan.

Mysore:

The princely state of Mysore was located in the south of India. It had a population of over 16 million and covered an area of 191,79 square kilometres. The Maharaja of Mysore was a Hindu and did not want to merge his state with what he saw as the Muslim-dominated Indian Union. However, in 1948 the Indian government sent in troops to occupy Mysore and forced it to merge with the Indian Union.

Baroda:

The princely state of Baroda was located in the west of India, currently in Gujarat. It was formed in 1721 and remained a state till 1949. It had a population of 2,032,798 and covered an area of 3,239 square kilometres as per the 1911 census. It joined the dominion of India in 1949 after independence from Britishers. 

Pak on the forced merger of Indian states what is merger and acquisition

Pakistan has always been against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Kashmir. We have always maintained that the issues between India and Pakistan should be resolved through dialogue on the basis of mutual respect and equality. The forcible merger of Indian States was never acceptable to us, as it undermined the principles of state sovereignty, self-determination and territorial integrity. We have always maintained that the issue of J&K continues to remain on the agenda of the UN Security Council.

Conclusion 

India’s integration into the world economy is a fascinating story, one that has largely been ignored by the mainstream media. The process of economic liberalization and the subsequent mergers and acquisitions have made India a powerhouse in many industries. As Indian students, it is important for us to understand our country’s place in the global economy and learn about the businesses that are driving this growth. In doing so, we can develop an appreciation for how our country is changing and identify opportunities for future generations of entrepreneurs. What do you think are some of the most interesting aspects of India’s integration into the world economy? Let us know in the comments below!