---
title: "Instrument of Accession Definition | Model Diplomat"
description: "An Instrument of Accession is the legal document used by princely states to join India or Pakistan in 1947, crucial for understanding India's partition."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/instrument-of-accession"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- An Instrument of Accession was the legal document by which the ruler of a princely state acceded to either India or Pakistan after the lapse of British paramountcy in 1947.
- Which three subjects did a ruler cede under the Instrument of Accession?
- What is the statutory basis of the Instrument of Accession?
- How is the Instrument of Accession distinguished from a Merger Agreement?
- Why is the Jammu and Kashmir Instrument of Accession significant?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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## Timeline

1. 15 August 1947

   This minimalist formula, combined with Patel's persuasion and the offer of privy purses, secured the accession of the overwhelming majority of states by .

2. 26 October 1947

   Most significant for the exam is Jammu and Kashmir: Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession on following the Pakistan-backed tribal invasion,…

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Example

On 26 October 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu and Kashmir signed the Instrument of Accession to India following the Pakistan-backed tribal invasion, providing the legal basis for Indian military intervention in Srinagar.

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[Schedules Special Provisions Art 370 371 Etc](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/upsc-indian-polity-schedules-special-provisions-art-370-371-etc)[Integration Of Princely States](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/upsc-post-independence-integration-of-princely-states)

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