• Britain and Russia were engaged in a strategic contest in Central Asia and the Sub-continent. The British wanted a pliable country in North-west India. This combined with religious factors led to Pakistan that became a vassal of the West. British objectives achieved. We should remember role of Bose’s Indian National Army and Savarkar in forcing the British hand.

Esamskriti has published following articles on India’s Independence-What happened during the 1942 Quit India Movement, Did Ahimsa get Indian freedom?, Who was responsible for India’s Partition?, How INA contributed to India’s Independence

On the Constitution, did you know that the first draft of the Indian Constitution was prepared by Sir B N Rau in October 1947?    Almost every clause of the first draft had a marginal note giving references to the corresponding provisions in other constitutions or in the Government of India (GOI) Act 1935. Read Pictures in Handcrafted Constitution of India , Is India's Colonial Constitution a result of the Drafting Committee being dominated by Lawyers and Role of Keralites in the Making of the Indian Constitution – Editor 

This article was first published in the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Journal.

India attained freedom from British rule on 15 August 1947. Yet that freedom came at an immense price. The partition of an undivided India, the unprecedented bloodshed that accompanied it, and the forced displacement of millions from ancestral homes remain among the most tragic chapters in the history of the Indian subcontinent.

Popular historical understanding often attributes the creation of  Pakistan chiefly to Mohammed Ali Jinnah and consequently regards him as the architect of Partition. While Jinnah undoubtedly played a decisive role in the final phase, a deeper exploration of history suggests that the origins of partition may have been rooted in broader geopolitical calculations that long predated him.

After the Second World War, Britain had come to recognise an undeniable reality: India could no longer remain under colonial rule. The question before British policymakers was no longer whether independence should be granted, but rather how it should be granted in a manner that would continue to safeguard British strategic interests even after their formal departure.

To understand this, one must look at the wider historical canvas stretching beyond India itself. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, Britain and Russia were engaged in a prolonged geopolitical rivalry for influence in Central and South Asia. Though never resulting in direct warfare, this rivalry assumed the character of an intense strategic contest. It was described by contemporary observers as a ‘war of shadows’.

The celebrated writer Rudyard Kipling later immortalised this struggle in his novel Kim, referring to it as ‘The Great Game’. Though largely invisible to the ordinary world, its implications were enormous. 

India occupied a central position in this contest. Possession of influence over the Indian subcontinent meant command over vital sea routes of the Indian Ocean and access to regions extending towards the Middle East and beyond. Britain feared that Russian expansion southward through Central Asia and Afghanistan could eventually threaten its imperial interests.

The concern was not entirely speculative. Russian territorial expansion had steadily advanced across Central Asia. British statesmen, military strategists, and scholars had repeatedly expressed apprehension regarding Russian ambitions in Asia. Some even viewed South Asia as the likely theatre where future strategic contests might unfold.

Another factor had begun to reshape global politics. The Industrial Revolution and technological advancement had greatly increased the importance of oil resources. The oil-rich regions of the Middle East consequently acquired immense strategic value. The weakening and eventually disintegration of the Ottoman Empire altered the geopolitical balance and intensified concerns regarding future spheres of influence.

For Britain, India was not merely a colony; it was a strategic pillar of imperial security. Particularly important was northwestern India, which was viewed as crucial, connecting the subcontinent with Central Asia and the Middle East. It is therefore argued by some historians that British policymakers had begun considering ways in which their long-term strategic interests might continue to be protected even after India achieved independence. There were apprehensions that an independent government led by nationalist leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Sardar Patel might pursue policies independent of British strategic preferences.

Within the larger framework, communal divisions between Hindus and Muslims gradually acquired political significance. Leaders and organisations representing different communities emerged with increasing influence. M Ali Jinnah, who had earlier spent many years in the Indian National Congress, eventually came to assume leadership of the Muslim League and become the most prominent spokesman of Muslim aspirations.

Whether Jinnah shaped circumstances or circumstances shaped Jinnah remains a question that historians continue to debate. Yet it appears difficult to view Partition solely as the result of one individual’s actions. Large historical events often arise through the interaction of personalities, political forces, imperial strategies, and circumstances extending beyond the control of any single actor.

Ultimately, the consequences were irreversible. The dream of an undivided land gave way to the reality of Partition. Millions lost homes, families suffered immeasurable pain, and deep emotional scars were left upon generations.

History perhaps teaches us that freedom is not always attained through celebration alone; it also arrives carrying sorrow and sacrifice in its wake. As we commemorate Independence Day, remembering the cost at which freedom was achieved may be as important as celebrating freedom itself.

For nations, as well as for individuals, the lessons of history are not meant to imprison the future, but to illuminate it.

Author is a retired Professor of Business Management.

This article was first published in the Bhavan’s Journal, August 1-15, 2026 issue. This article is courtesy and copyright Bhavan’s Journal, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai-400007. eSamskriti has obtained permission from Bhavan’s Journal to share. Do subscribe to the Bhavan’s Journal – it is very good.

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