Let me now pass to the Indian States. The plan of June 3rd dealt almost exclusively with the ‘problem of the transfer of power in British India; and the only reference to the States was a paragraph which recognised that on the transfer of power, all the Indian States-565 of them-would become independent. Here then was another gigantic problem and there was apprehension on all sides. But after the formation of the States Department it was possible for me as Crown Representative to tackle this great question. Thanks to that farsighted statesman Sardar vallabhbhai Patel, Member in charge of States Department, a scheme produced which appeared to me to be equally in the interests of the States as of the Dominion of India. The overwhelming majority of States are geographically linked with India, and therefore this Dominion had by far the bigger stake in the solution of this problem. It is a great triumph for the realism and sense of responsibility of the Rulers and the Governments of the States, as well as for the Government of India, that it was possible to produce an Instrument of Accession which was equally acceptable to both sides; and one, moreover, so simple and so straight forward that within less than three weeks practically all the States concerned had signed the Instrument of Accession and the Standstill Agreement. There is thus established a unified political structure covering over 300 million people and the major part of this great sub-continent.
