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Dominion of India

1947 CE – 1950 CE · capital New Delhi

Independent India's first constitutional form, a Commonwealth dominion that integrated the princely states and drafted the constitution of the republic.

Origins

Under the Indian Independence Act of 1947, the British Raj was partitioned, and on 15 August 1947 the Dominion of India was created with Jawaharlal Nehru as prime minister. Lord Mountbatten stayed on as Governor-General until 1948, succeeded by C. Rajagopalachari, the only Indian to hold the post.

Rule and society

The dominion confronted partition violence and refugee resettlement, and fought the first war with the Dominion of Pakistan over Kashmir. Vallabhbhai Patel and V. P. Menon integrated more than five hundred princely states, using force against Hyderabad in 1948. Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in January 1948. A Constituent Assembly chaired in drafting by B. R. Ambedkar wrote the new constitution.

Decline and legacy

The Constitution of India came into force on 26 January 1950, making India a sovereign republic within the Commonwealth and ending the British monarch's role as head of state. The dominion was succeeded by the Republic of India.

Lineage

Kingdom of Manipur 33 CE – 1949 CE Chamba State 550 CE – 1948 CE Suket State 765 CE – 1948 CE Kumharsain State 1000 CE – 1948 CE Kalahandi State 1005 CE – 1948 CE Danta State 1068 CE – 1948 CEDominion of IndiaRepublic of India 1950 CE – present

Connections (11)

Jammu and Kashmir (princely state) was part of Dominion of India1947 CE – 1950 CE
Kingdom of Sikkim was a protectorate of Dominion of India1947 CE – 1950 CE
Junagadh State was conquered by Dominion of India1947 CE
Patiala and East Punjab States Union was part of Dominion of India1948 CE – 1950 CE
Madhya Bharat was part of Dominion of India1948 CE – 1950 CE
Vindhya Pradesh was part of Dominion of India1948 CE – 1950 CE
Saurashtra State was part of Dominion of India1948 CE – 1950 CE
Matsya Union was part of Dominion of India1948 CE – 1949 CE
United State of Rajasthan was part of Dominion of India1948 CE – 1950 CE
Bilaspur State was part of Dominion of India1948 CE – 1950 CE
Travancore-Cochin was part of Dominion of India1949 CE – 1950 CE

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Cite this page

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Dominion of India. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/dominion-of-india
MLA: “Dominion of India.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/dominion-of-india. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Dominion of India.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/dominion-of-india.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Dominion of India’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/dominion-of-india (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻