--- title: "Indian Independence Act 1947 — Definition & Meaning" description: "The Indian Independence Act 1947 partitioned British India into India and Pakistan, effective 15 August 1947, shaping modern South Asia." url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/indian-independence-act-1947" --- [New](https://modeldiplomat.com/) # Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026 TL;DR - The Indian Independence Act 1947 was a British Parliament statute that partitioned British India into the two independent dominions of India and Pakistan effective 15 August 1947. - On what plan was the Indian Independence Act 1947 based? - What happened to the princely states under the Act? - Which document served as the interim constitution after the Act? - What is the difference between a 'dominion' and a 'republic' in this context? [Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026 Go beyond the definition ## Research Indian Independence Act 1947 like a delegate Model Diplomat's AI drafts position papers, speeches, and country research with real sources — built for MUN and politics students. ## Timeline 1. 15 August 1947 The Indian Independence Act 1947 was a British Parliament statute that partitioned British India into the two independent dominions of India and Pakistan eff… 2. 18 July 1947 The Indian Independence Act 1947 received Royal Assent on and was enacted by the British Parliament to give legislative effect to the Mountbatten Plan (the… 3. 26 January 1950 India's Constituent Assembly (already functioning from December 1946) continued, and the Act was eventually repealed in India by Article 395 of the Constitut… ## Positions at a glance ### Indian National Congress The Indian Independence Act 1947 received Royal Assent on 18 July 1947 and was enacted by the British Parliament to give legislative effect to the Mountbatten Plan (the "3 June Plan") of 1947. Drafted on the recommendation of the Cabinet Mission's failure to preserve a united India and the Congress–League deadlock, the Act translated the partition scheme into law within a remarkably short span. It was based on the principles agreed between Viceroy Lord Louis Mountbatten, the Indian National Congress (Jawaharlal Nehru), the Muslim League (Muhammad Ali Jinnah) and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and was steered through Parliament by Prime Minister Clement Attlee's Labour government. The appointed date for the transfer of power was fixed as 15 August 1947. ### All-India Muslim League The Indian Independence Act 1947 received Royal Assent on 18 July 1947 and was enacted by the British Parliament to give legislative effect to the Mountbatten Plan (the "3 June Plan") of 1947. Drafted on the recommendation of the Cabinet Mission's failure to preserve a united India and the Congress–League deadlock, the Act translated the partition scheme into law within a remarkably short span. It was based on the principles agreed between Viceroy Lord Louis Mountbatten, the Indian National Congress (Jawaharlal Nehru), the Muslim League (Muhammad Ali Jinnah) and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and was steered through Parliament by Prime Minister Clement Attlee's Labour government. The appointed date for the transfer of power was fixed as 15 August 1947. ## Research it like a delegate Research on modeldiplomat.com ## Ask a follow-up about Indian Independence Act 1947 Open a cited briefing in Model Diplomat search — timelines, positions, and sources you can use in committee or exam answers. [Start research on Indian Independence Act 1947](https://modeldiplomat.com/search?q=Explain%20Indian%20Independence%20Act%201947%20%E2%80%94%20key%20dates%2C%20actors%2C%20positions%2C%20and%20sources) Example In 1947, Lord Mountbatten implemented the Indian Independence Act by transferring power to two dominions on 15 August, with Jawaharlal Nehru sworn in as India's first Prime Minister and Muhammad Ali Jinnah as Pakistan's Governor-General. 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