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Before the Partition of India in 1947, hundreds of Princely States , also called Native States , existed in India which were not part of British India. These were the parts of the Indian subcontinent which had not been conquered or annexed by the British.

Things moved quickly after the partition of British India in 1947. By the end of 1949, all of the states except Sikkim had chosen to accede to one of the newly independent states of India or Pakistan or else had been annexed.

Outline

Main article: Princely state

In principle, the princely states had internal autonomy, while by treaty the British had suzerainty and were responsible for their external affairs. In practice, while the states were indeed ruled by potentates with a variety of titles, such as Raja, Maharaja, Nawab, Khan or Nizam, the British had considerable influence.

By the time of the departure of the colonial power in 1947, only four of the largest of the states still had their own British Resident, a diplomatic title for advisors present in the states' capitals, while most of the others were grouped together into Agencies, such as the Central India Agency, the Deccan States Agency, and the Rajputana Agency.

From 1920, the states were represented in the Chamber of Princes, which held its meetings in New Delhi.

The most important states were ranked among the salute states.

By the Indian Independence Act 1947, the British gave up their suzerainty of the states and left each of them free to choose whether to join one of the newly independent countries of India and Pakistan. For a short time, some of the rulers explored the possibility of a federation of the states separate from either, but this came to nothing. Most of the states then decided to accede to India or to Pakistan, while others which held out for the possibility of independence were later annexed by India, such as Junagadh (1947-1948), Hyderabad on 18 September 1948, Bilaspur on 12 October 1948, and Bhopal on 1 May 1949. Dewan of Travancore chose to remain an independent country.

In Jammu and Kashmir, a state with a Muslim majority but a Hindu ruler, the Maharaja hoped to remain independent but acceded to India on 27 October 1947 at the outset of the invasion of Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistan - leading to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947.

On 31 March 1948, Kalat acceded to Pakistan, although the brother of the Khan led a rebellion against this decision.

The last remaining independent state, Sikkim, was incorporated into India on 16 May 1975, following a referendum in which people of Sikkim overwhelmingly voted for this.

Indian Princely States at the time of independence on August 15 1947

There have been various differences in organisation before, repeatedly quite significant, during the British Raj.

Individual residencies

Gwalior Residency

Princely States of the Gwalior Residency .

States of the Punjab

States of the Punjab States Agency (Punjab).

Gujarat States Agency and Baroda Residency

• Balasinor
• Bansda
• Bajana
• Devgadh Baria
• Baroda
• Bhavnagar
• Cambay
• Chhota Udaipur
• Dangs
• Dhrangadhra
• Gondal
• Idar
• Jawhar
• Junagadh
• Manavadar
• Kutch
• Lunavada
• Morvi
• Nawanagar
• Porbandar
• Poshina
• Radhanpur
• Rajpipla
• Sachin
• Sanjeda Mehvassi
• Sant
• Sanjeli
• Surgana
• Tharad
• Vijaynagar
• Vithalgarh
• Wankaner
• Vanod

States of Central India Agency

• Ajaigarh
• Ali Rajpur
• Alipura
• Baoni
• Barannda
• Barwani
• Beri
• Bhopal
• Bijawar
• Charkhari
• Chhatarpur
• Datia
• Dewas
• Dhar
• Garrauli
• Gaurihar
• Indore
• Jabua
• Jaora
• Jaso
• Jigni
• Kamta-Rajaula
• Khaniadhana
• Khilchipur
• Kothi Baghelan
• Kurwai
• Lugasi
• Maihar
• Makrai
• Mathwar
• Muhammadgarh
• Nagod (Unchhera)
• Narsingarh
• Orchha
• Panna
• Pathari
• Piploda
• Rajgarh
• Ratlam
• Rewah
• Samthar
• Sarila
• Sitamau

States of the Eastern States Agency

• Athmallik
• Bastar
• Baudh
• Banaili
• Changbhakar
• Chhuikhadan
• Cooch Behar
• Darbhanga
• Daspalla
• Dhenkanal
• Jashpur
• Kalahandi
• Kanker
• Kawardha
• Khairagarh
• Kharsawan
• Khondmals
• Koriya (Koriya)
• Mayurbhanj
• Nandgaon
• Nayagarh
• Pal Lahara
• Patna
• Raigarh
• Ramgarh
• Sakti
• Saraikela
• Sarangarh
• Sonpur
• Surguja
• Talcher
• Tripura
• Udaipur

Alphabetical list of former British India's princely states

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Geographical and administrative assigning is indicative, as various names and borders have changed significantly, even entities (provinces, principalities) split, merged, renamed et cetera .

Furthermore, criteria of statehood (used for inclusion) differ between sources.

In some cases, several name variations or completely different names are included.

A

• Achrol in Rajasthan - Thikana of the Princely State of Jaipur
• Agar (?)
• Agra Barkhera
• Ahmadnagar - salute
• Ajaigarh in Madhya Pradesh - Hereditary salute of 11-guns
• Ajraoda
• Akalkot in Maharashtra
• Akdia
• Ali Rajpur in Madhya Pradesh - Hereditary salute of 11-guns
• Alampur
• Alipura in Madhya Pradesh
• Alwa
• Alwar in Rajasthan - Hereditary salute of 15-guns (17-guns local)
• Amala
• Amarchanta vassal state
• Amarkot (Umerkot) in Sindh, Pakistan
• Amarnaghar in Saurashtra (Gujarat)
• Amb (Tanawal state) Pakistani Frontier state
• Ambaliara in Maharashtra
• Amethi in Uttar Pradesh
• Amod in Gujarat: although the seat of a Thakore Sahib, the taluka of Amod was administered as part of the Broach District
• Amrapur in Kathiawar; <> below
• Amrapur in Rewa Kantha
• Anandpur
• Anegundi Zamindari
• Anghad
• Angre Political Pensioner
• Ankevalia
• Arcot (the Carnatic) Political Pensioner
• Arnia
• Assam Political Pensioner - roughly the homonymous Indian state
• Athgarh in Orissa
• Athmalik in Orissa
• Aundh in Maharashtra
• Awadh=Oudh Political Pensioner

B

• Babra
• Bagasra
• Bagasra Hadala
• Bagasra Khari
• Bagasra Natwar
• Bagasra Ram
• Baghal in Himachal Pradesh (Punjab Hills States)
• Baghat in Himachal Pradesh
• Bagli
• Bahawalpur in Pakistan
• Bai
• Bajana in Saurashtra
• Bakhtgarh
• Balasinor in Bombay - Hereditary salute of 9-guns
• Balsan in Himachal Pradesh
• Baltistan (western Tibetan kingdom, since 1840 subject to Kashmir) in Pakistan occupied Kashmir
• Bamanbor
• Bamra in Orissa
• Banera in Chattisgarh
• Banganapalle in Andhra Pradesh (was in Madras till 1-10-1953) - Hereditary salute of 9-guns
• Banka Pahari in Madhya Pradesh
• Bansda in Bombay - Hereditary salute of 9-guns
• Banswara in Rajastahn - Hereditary salute of 15-guns
• Bantva Manavadar
• Bantva Sardargadh
• Baoni in Madhya Pradesh - Hereditary salute of 11-guns
• Baramba in Orissa
• Baraundha - Hereditary salute of 9-guns =?Baraundha Pathar Kachhar in Madhya Pradesh - salute
• Bardia
• Baria - Hereditary salute of 9-guns (11-guns personal) =? Bariya in Bombay
• Barkhera Deo Dungri
• Barkhera Panth
• Baroda in Bombay - Hereditary salute of 21-guns
• Barvala = Barwala in Saurashtra
• Barwani in Madhya Pradesh - Hereditary salute of 11-guns
• Bashahr in Himachal Pradesh - Personal salute of 9-guns
• Basoda
• Bas