European Maritime Powers

1498 – 1961

Map layer: Colonial Settlements

Portuguese, Dutch, Danish, French and British trading posts and colonies.

🗺 Map at start (1498) Map at midpoint (1730) Zoomed timeline

Main polities of this period

Name	Type	Span	Region	Capital
Portuguese Estado da Índia ★	Colonial power	1505 – 1961	Coastal	Goa (from 1530)
Portuguese Cochin	Colonial settlement	1503 – 1663	Coastal
Portuguese Bassein & Bombay	Colonial settlement	1534 – 1739	Coastal
Portuguese Diu	Colonial settlement	1535 – 1961	Coastal
Portuguese Daman	Colonial settlement	1559 – 1961	Coastal
Portuguese Hooghly	Colonial settlement	1579 – 1632	Coastal
Portuguese Ceylon	Colonial settlement	1597 – 1658	Sri Lanka	Colombo
Dutch East India Company (VOC) in India	Colonial power	1605 – 1825	Coastal	Pulicat, later Nagapattinam
Dutch Coromandel (Pulicat)	Colonial settlement	1610 – 1825	Coastal
Danish India	Colonial power	1620 – 1869	Coastal	Tranquebar
Danish Tranquebar	Colonial settlement	1620 – 1845	Coastal
Dutch Chinsurah	Colonial settlement	1656 – 1825	Coastal
Dutch Ceylon	Colonial settlement	1658 – 1796	Sri Lanka	Colombo
Dutch Malabar (Cochin)	Colonial settlement	1663 – 1795	Coastal
French India	Colonial power	1668 – 1954	Coastal	Pondichéry
Chandernagore	Colonial settlement	1673 – 1950	Coastal
Pondichéry	Colonial settlement	1674 – 1954	Coastal
Mahé	Colonial settlement	1721 – 1954	Coastal
Yanam	Colonial settlement	1731 – 1954	Coastal
Karaikal	Colonial settlement	1739 – 1954	Coastal
Danish Serampore	Colonial settlement	1755 – 1845	Coastal
Portuguese Malé	Colonial settlement	1558 – 1573	Islands	Malé

Also existing during this period

Malwa Sultanate

Central · 1392 – 1562

Holkar State (Indore)

Central · 1731 – 1948

Scindia State (Gwalior)

Central · 1731 – 1948

Bhonsles of Nagpur

Central · 1739 – 1853

Fort St George, Madras

Coastal · 1639 – 1858

Bombay (English East India Company)

Coastal · 1668 – 1858

Bahmani Sultanate

Deccan · 1347 – 1527

Ahmadnagar Sultanate (Nizam Shahi)

Deccan · 1490 – 1636

Bijapur Sultanate (Adil Shahi)

Deccan · 1490 – 1686

Berar Sultanate (Imad Shahi)

Deccan · 1490 – 1574

Bidar Sultanate (Barid Shahi)

Deccan · 1492 – 1619

Golconda Sultanate (Qutb Shahi)

Deccan · 1518 – 1687

Maratha Empire

Deccan · 1674 – 1818

Hyderabad State (Nizams)

Bengal Sultanate

Gajapati Kingdom

Nawabs of Bengal

Rohilkhand

Gangetic Plain · 1721 – 1774

Awadh (Nawabs of Oudh)

Gangetic Plain · 1722 – 1856

Malla Dynasty of Nepal

Himalaya · 1201 – 1769

Gorkha Kingdom

Himalaya · 1559 – 1768

Bhutan under the Zhabdrung (Druk Desi)

Himalaya · 1616 – 1907

Kingdom of Nepal — expansion era

Himalaya · 1768 – 1816

Kingdom of Nepal

Himalaya · 1816 – 2008

Kingdom of Bhutan

Himalaya · 1907 – present

Sultanate of the Maldives

Islands · c. 1153 – 1968

Delhi Sultanate

North · 1206 – 1526

Kashmir Sultanate

North · 1339 – 1586

Mughal Empire

North · 1526 – 1857

Sur Empire

North · 1540 – 1556

Jat Kingdom of Bharatpur

North · 1722 – 1947

Sikh Empire

North · 1799 – 1849

Ahom Kingdom

Northeast · 1228 – 1826

Koch Kingdom (Kamata / Cooch Behar)

Northeast · 1515 – 1949

Samma Dynasty

Northwest · 1351 – 1524

Timurid Empire (Herat)

Northwest · 1370 – 1507

Hotak Dynasty

Northwest · 1709 – 1738

Durrani Empire

Northwest · 1747 – 1823

Emirate of Afghanistan

Northwest · 1823 – 1926

Kingdom of Afghanistan

Northwest · 1926 – 1973

Pakistan (West & East)

Northwest · 1947 – 1971

British East India Company

Pan-Indian · 1600 – 1858

British Raj (Crown Rule)

Pan-Indian · 1858 – 1947

Dominion of India

Pan-Indian · 1947 – 1950

Republic of India

Pan-Indian · 1950 – present

Zamorins of Calicut

South · c. 1124 – 1766

Vijayanagara Empire

South · 1336 – 1646

Kingdom of Mysore

South · 1399 – 1950

Madurai Nayaks

South · 1529 – 1736

Carnatic (Nawabs of Arcot)

South · 1692 – 1855

Travancore

South · 1729 – 1949

Jaffna Kingdom

Sri Lanka · c. 1215 – 1619

Kingdom of Kotte

Sri Lanka · 1412 – 1597

Kingdom of Kandy

Sri Lanka · c. 1469 – 1815

British Ceylon

Sri Lanka · 1796 – 1948

Dominion of Ceylon

Sri Lanka · 1948 – 1972

Kachwahas of Amber (Jaipur)

West · c. 1128 – 1949

Marwar (Rathore)

West · c. 1226 – 1949

Mewar (Sisodia)

West · 1326 – 1949

Gujarat Sultanate

West · 1407 – 1573

Gaekwad State (Baroda)

West · 1721 – 1949

Events

Year	Event	Polity
1498	Vasco da Gama reaches Calicut The direct sea route from Europe to India was opened.	Zamorins of Calicut
1504	Sikandar Lodi founds Agra Agra became the Lodi and later Mughal capital.	Lodi Dynasty
1505	Portuguese reach Sri Lanka	Kingdom of Kotte
1509	Krishnadevaraya's accession	Tuluva Dynasty
1509	Battle of Diu Portuguese naval supremacy in the Arabian Sea was established.	Portuguese Estado da Índia
1510	Portuguese capture Goa Goa became the capital of the Portuguese Estado da Índia until 1961.	Portuguese Estado da Índia
1520	Krishnadevaraya takes Raichur Vijayanagara won the Raichur doab from Bijapur.	Tuluva Dynasty
1526	First Battle of Panipat Ibrahim Lodi was killed and Babur founded the Mughal Empire.	Mughal Empire
1527	Battle of Khanwa Babur defeated Rana Sanga's Rajput confederacy, securing Mughal rule in the north.	Mughal Empire
1529	Battle of the Ghaghra Babur defeated the Afghan chiefs of the east.	Mughal Empire
1530	Death of Babur; Humayun succeeds	Mughal Empire
1535	Humayun takes Mandu and Champaner	Mughal Empire
1539	Battle of Chausa Humayun was defeated and escaped by swimming the Ganga.	Sur Empire
1540	Battle of Kannauj Humayun fled into exile and Sher Shah founded the Sur Empire.	Sur Empire
1541	Rohtas Fort begun by Sher Shah	Sur Empire
1545	Death of Sher Shah at Kalinjar	Sur Empire
1555	Humayun recovers Delhi (Battle of Sirhind) Humayun regained his throne from the Surs.	Mughal Empire
1556	Second Battle of Panipat Hemu was captured and killed, securing Akbar's throne.	Mughal Empire
1558	Portuguese occupy Malé	Portuguese Malé
1559	Drabya Shah founds the Gorkha kingdom	Gorkha Kingdom
1564	Akbar abolishes the jizya	Mughal Empire
1565	Battle of Talikota Vijayanagara's army was routed and its capital Hampi was sacked.	Tuluva Dynasty
1568	Akbar takes Chittorgarh Chittor fell and Rana Udai Singh moved his capital to Udaipur.	Mughal Empire
1571	Fatehpur Sikri founded	Mughal Empire
1573	Akbar conquers Gujarat	Mughal Empire
1573	Muhammad Thakurufaanu frees the Maldives The Portuguese were expelled after fifteen years.	Sultanate of the Maldives
1576	Battle of Haldighati The Mughals held the field but Maharana Pratap escaped to continue resisting.	Mewar (Sisodia)
1576	Battle of Rajmahal: Mughals take Bengal Daud Khan Karrani was killed and Bengal became a Mughal province.	Mughal Empire
1580	Akbar organises the empire into subahs The empire was divided into twelve provinces with uniform administration.	Mughal Empire
1582	Akbar's Din-i-Ilahi	Mughal Empire
1586	Mughals annex Kashmir	Mughal Empire
1591	Charminar built	Golconda Sultanate (Qutb Shahi)
1600	East India Company chartered	British East India Company
1601	Asirgarh falls to Akbar	Mughal Empire
1602	Dutch East India Company (VOC) founded	Dutch East India Company (VOC) in India
1604	Adi Granth installed at Harmandir Sahib
1605	Death of Akbar	Mughal Empire
1606	Execution of Guru Arjan Dev Sikhism began to take on a militant character under Guru Hargobind.	Mughal Empire
1611	English factory at Masulipatnam	British East India Company
1612	Battle of Swally The English defeated the Portuguese and won trading rights at Surat.	British East India Company
1615	Sir Thomas Roe at Jahangir's court	Mughal Empire
1616	Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal arrives in Bhutan	Bhutan under the Zhabdrung (Druk Desi)
1628	Shah Jahan becomes emperor	Mughal Empire
1632	Taj Mahal construction begins	Mughal Empire
1639	Fort St George founded at Madras	Fort St George, Madras
1646	Last Vijayanagara stronghold falls	Aravidu Dynasty
1648	Shahjahanabad (Old Delhi) inaugurated	Mughal Empire
1653	Taj Mahal completed	Mughal Empire
1656	Dutch take Colombo from the Portuguese Portuguese rule in Sri Lanka ended by 1658.	Dutch Ceylon
1658	Aurangzeb becomes emperor	Mughal Empire
1659	Shivaji kills Afzal Khan at Pratapgad Bijapur's army was routed and Shivaji's power grew.
1661	Bombay passes to England	Portuguese Bassein & Bombay
1664	Shivaji sacks Surat
1665	Treaty of Purandar Shivaji ceded 23 forts to the Mughals and agreed to attend Aurangzeb's court.
1666	Shivaji escapes from Agra
1671	Battle of Saraighat The Ahoms defeated the Mughals, keeping Assam independent.	Ahom Kingdom
1674	Shivaji crowned Chhatrapati	Maratha Empire
1675	Execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur	Mughal Empire
1679	Aurangzeb reimposes the jizya Alienated many Rajput and other subjects.	Mughal Empire
1680	Death of Shivaji His son Sambhaji succeeded him.	Maratha Empire
1681	Aurangzeb moves to the Deccan	Mughal Empire
1686	Mughals annex Bijapur The Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur ended.	Mughal Empire
1687	Mughals annex Golconda The Qutb Shahi dynasty of Golconda ended.	Mughal Empire
1689	Execution of Sambhaji	Maratha Empire
1690	Job Charnock founds Calcutta Calcutta grew into the capital of British India.	British East India Company
1699	Guru Gobind Singh founds the Khalsa
1707	Death of Aurangzeb	Mughal Empire
1708	Death of Guru Gobind Singh He declared the Guru Granth Sahib the eternal Guru.
1709	Mirwais Hotak's revolt at Kandahar	Hotak Dynasty
1713	Balaji Vishwanath becomes Peshwa	Maratha Empire
1716	Execution of Banda Singh Bahadur	Mughal Empire
1717	Farrukhsiyar's farman to the East India Company	Mughal Empire
1720	Baji Rao I becomes Peshwa	Maratha Empire
1724	Battle of Shakar Kheda: Hyderabad State founded Nizam-ul-Mulk defeated the Mughal governor and founded Hyderabad State.	Hyderabad State (Nizams)
1737	Baji Rao raids Delhi	Maratha Empire
1739	Nadir Shah sacks Delhi Delhi was plundered and the Peacock Throne and Koh-i-Noor taken to Persia.	Mughal Empire
1741	Battle of Colachel Travancore defeated the Dutch, ending Dutch ambitions in Kerala.	Travancore
1742	Maratha (Bargi) raids on Bengal	Nawabs of Bengal
1746	French capture Madras (First Carnatic War)	French India
1747	Ahmad Shah Durrani founds the Durrani Empire	Durrani Empire
1749	Battle of Ambur Anwaruddin Khan was killed; Chanda Sahib, backed by the French, took Arcot.	Carnatic (Nawabs of Arcot)
1751	Siege of Arcot Clive's defence of Arcot turned the Second Carnatic War in Britain's favour.	Carnatic (Nawabs of Arcot)
1757	Battle of Plassey Siraj ud-Daulah was defeated and Mir Jafar became a Company-backed nawab.	British East India Company
1760	Battle of Wandiwash French power in India was broken.	British East India Company
1761	Third Battle of Panipat The Marathas were crushed by Ahmad Shah Durrani and their northward expansion checked.	Maratha Empire
1764	Battle of Buxar The Company defeated Mir Qasim, Shuja-ud-Daula and Shah Alam II together.	British East India Company
1765	Diwani of Bengal granted The Company won the right to collect revenue in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.	British East India Company
1767	First Anglo-Mysore War	Kingdom of Mysore
1768	Prithvi Narayan Shah conquers Kathmandu Kathmandu became the capital of a unified Nepal.	Kingdom of Nepal — expansion era
1769	Treaty of Madras Ended the First Anglo-Mysore War with mutual restitution of conquests.	Kingdom of Mysore
1770	Great Bengal Famine	British East India Company
1773	Regulating Act; Warren Hastings Governor-General	British East India Company
1775	First Anglo-Maratha War begins	Maratha Empire
1780	Battle of Pollilur Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan destroyed a Company force under Colonel Baillie.	Kingdom of Mysore
1782	Treaty of Salbai The First Anglo-Maratha War ended with a return to the status quo.	Scindia State (Gwalior)
1784	Asiatic Society founded	British East India Company
1784	Treaty of Mangalore Ended the Second Anglo-Mysore War on the basis of mutual restitution.	Kingdom of Mysore
1792	Treaty of Seringapatam Tipu Sultan ceded half his kingdom and gave two sons as hostages.	Kingdom of Mysore
1793	Permanent Settlement of Bengal	British East India Company
1795	Battle of Kharda The Marathas defeated the Nizam of Hyderabad.	Maratha Empire
1796	British take coastal Ceylon from the Dutch Coastal Sri Lanka passed to Britain, confirmed by the Treaty of Amiens.	British Ceylon
1798	Hyderabad accepts the Subsidiary Alliance The Nizam became the first ruler to accept Wellesley's system.	Hyderabad State (Nizams)
1799	Fall of Srirangapatna Tipu Sultan was killed and the Wodeyars were restored as Company allies.	Kingdom of Mysore
1799	Ranjit Singh takes Lahore	Sikh Empire
1802	Treaty of Bassein Peshwa Baji Rao II accepted the Subsidiary Alliance.	Maratha Empire
1803	British capture Delhi The Mughal emperor came under British protection.	British East India Company
1803	Battle of Assaye Arthur Wellesley defeated the combined Scindia and Bhonsle armies.	British East India Company
1806	Vellore mutiny	British East India Company
1809	Treaty of Amritsar fixes the Sutlej frontier Ranjit Singh agreed not to expand south of the Sutlej.	Sikh Empire
1814	Anglo-Nepal War: siege of Nalapani The Gorkha garrison under Balbhadra Kunwar held out before withdrawing.	Kingdom of Nepal — expansion era
1815	Kandyan Convention The Kandyan kingdom ended and all Sri Lanka came under British rule.	Kingdom of Kandy
1816	Treaty of Sugauli Nepal ceded Kumaon, Garhwal and the Terai and accepted a British resident.	Kingdom of Nepal
1817	Battle of Khadki The Peshwa's army was defeated near Pune.	Maratha Empire
1818	Third Anglo-Maratha War ends The Peshwa's territories were annexed and the Company became the paramount power.	Maratha Empire
1824	Kittur revolt against the Company Rani Chennamma won an early victory but was captured in a second assault.
1826	Treaty of Yandabo Burma ceded Assam, Manipur, Arakan and Tenasserim to the Company.	Ahom Kingdom
1828	Brahmo Samaj founded	British East India Company
1829	Sati abolished	British East India Company
1835	English Education Act	British East India Company
1839	Death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh	Sikh Empire
1839	First Anglo-Afghan War begins Shah Shuja was installed in Kabul, but British forces were destroyed in 1842.	Emirate of Afghanistan
1842	British retreat from Kabul Almost the entire retreating British column was annihilated.	Emirate of Afghanistan
1843	Annexation of Sindh Sindh was annexed after the Battle of Miani.	British East India Company
1845	First Anglo-Sikh War The Sikhs ceded the Jullundur Doab and paid an indemnity.	Sikh Empire
1846	Jammu & Kashmir granted to Gulab Singh The Dogra-ruled princely state of Jammu and Kashmir was created.
1846	Kot massacre; Rana rule begins in Nepal Jung Bahadur Rana seized power and Rana prime ministers ruled for 104 years.	Kingdom of Nepal
1848	Doctrine of Lapse applied to Satara Satara was annexed because its ruler died without a natural heir.	British East India Company
1849	Punjab annexed The Sikh Empire ended and Maharaja Duleep Singh was pensioned off.	British East India Company
1853	First passenger railway: Bombay to Thane	British East India Company
1855	Santhal Hul (rebellion) Suppressed in 1856; the Santhal Parganas district was created.	British East India Company
1856	Awadh annexed Wajid Ali Shah was deposed on the charge of misgovernance.	British East India Company
1856	Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act Remarriage of Hindu widows was legalised.	British East India Company
1857	Revolt of 1857 begins at Meerut The revolt was suppressed by 1858 and Company rule was ended.
1857	Mangal Pandey's attack at Barrackpore Mangal Pandey was hanged; his regiment was disbanded.	British East India Company
1857	Rebels proclaim Bahadur Shah Zafar emperor Delhi became the centre of the revolt until retaken in September 1857.
1858	Rani Lakshmibai falls at Gwalior
1858	Government of India Act — Crown rule begins The Crown took over India, governed by a Viceroy and a Secretary of State.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1859	Indigo revolt in Bengal The Indigo Commission of 1860 ended forced indigo cultivation.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1869	Birth of Mahatma Gandhi
1872	First census of British India	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1875	Arya Samaj and Aligarh (MAO) College founded	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1876	Indian Association founded	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1877	Delhi Durbar: Victoria proclaimed Empress of India	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1878	Second Anglo-Afghan War	Emirate of Afghanistan
1878	Vernacular Press Act Indian-language newspapers were curbed; repealed in 1881.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1883	Ilbert Bill controversy European opposition forced the bill to be diluted, stirring Indian nationalism.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1885	Indian National Congress founded It became the principal organisation of the freedom movement.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1887	Maldives becomes a British protectorate	Sultanate of the Maldives
1893	Durand Line agreed The frontier between British India and Afghanistan was fixed.	Emirate of Afghanistan
1899	Birsa Munda's Ulgulan Birsa died in custody in 1900; the Chota Nagpur Tenancy Act followed in 1908.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1905	Partition of Bengal It triggered the Swadeshi movement and was annulled in 1911.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1905	Swadeshi movement launched Boycott of British goods and promotion of Indian industry.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1906	All-India Muslim League founded	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1907	Ugyen Wangchuck becomes first King of Bhutan	Kingdom of Bhutan
1907	Surat split of the Congress The Congress divided into Moderates and Extremists.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1908	Khudiram Bose executed	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1909	Morley-Minto Reforms Separate electorates for Muslims were introduced.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1911	Capital moved from Calcutta to Delhi	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1911	Delhi Durbar annuls the Partition of Bengal Bengal was reunited and the capital moved to Delhi.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1913	Rabindranath Tagore wins the Nobel Prize	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1913	Ghadar Party founded
1915	Gandhi returns to India	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1916	Lucknow Pact The Congress and the Muslim League agreed on joint constitutional demands.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1916	Home Rule Leagues launched	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1917	Champaran Satyagraha	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1918	Kheda Satyagraha Revenue collection was suspended for the poorest farmers.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1918	Ahmedabad mill strike Gandhi's fast won the workers a 35 per cent wage increase.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1919	Third Anglo-Afghan War; Afghan independence The Treaty of Rawalpindi recognised Afghanistan's control of its foreign affairs.	Emirate of Afghanistan
1919	Jallianwala Bagh massacre Nationwide outrage followed and Tagore renounced his knighthood.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1919	Rowlatt Act Gandhi called a nationwide Rowlatt Satyagraha.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1919	Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms Dyarchy was introduced in the provinces.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1920	Non-Cooperation Movement	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1920	Khilafat Movement Joined with Non-Cooperation in a united Hindu-Muslim struggle.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1922	Chauri Chaura incident	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1923	Swaraj Party founded Nationalists contested legislative elections to wreck them from within.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1925	Kakori train action Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Rajendra Lahiri and Roshan Singh were hanged.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1928	Simon Commission boycotted Lala Lajpat Rai died after a police lathi-charge.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1928	Nehru Report Proposed dominion status; rejected by the Muslim League.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1928	Bardoli Satyagraha The revenue hike was rolled back and Vallabhbhai Patel was hailed as 'Sardar'.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1929	Purna Swaraj resolution at Lahore	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1929	Central Legislative Assembly bombing Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt courted arrest.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1930	Salt March to Dandi Gandhi broke the salt law, launching the Civil Disobedience Movement.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1930	Chittagong armoury raid	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1931	Gandhi-Irwin Pact	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1931	Execution of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1931	Karachi Congress resolution on Fundamental Rights	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1932	Poona Pact	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1932	Communal Award Gandhi's fast against separate electorates for Depressed Classes led to the Poona Pact.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1935	Government of India Act 1935	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1937	Provincial elections under the 1935 Act The Congress formed ministries in most provinces.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1939	Congress ministries resign Protest at India being declared at war without consultation.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1940	Lahore Resolution	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1942	Quit India Movement Congress leaders were jailed, but the movement showed British rule was untenable.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1942	Cripps Mission Its offer of post-war dominion status was rejected.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1943	Bengal famine	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1944	Battles of Imphal and Kohima Allied victory; the Japanese and INA were forced to retreat.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1945	INA trials at the Red Fort Public outrage led to the sentences being remitted.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1945	Simla Conference Failed over the League's claim to nominate all Muslim members.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1946	Royal Indian Navy mutiny	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1946	Direct Action Day riots	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1946	Cabinet Mission Proposed a three-tier federation that ultimately failed.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1946	Constituent Assembly first meets	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1947	Pakistan comes into being	Pakistan (West & East)
1947	First Kashmir war
1947	Independence and Partition India and Pakistan became independent dominions amid mass migration and violence.	Dominion of India
1947	Mountbatten Plan British India was to be partitioned into India and Pakistan.	British Raj (Crown Rule)
1948	Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi	Dominion of India
1948	Ceylon becomes independent	Dominion of Ceylon
1948	Hyderabad integrated (Operation Polo) The Nizam surrendered and Hyderabad joined the Indian Union.	Dominion of India
1949	Constitution of India adopted	Dominion of India
1950	Constitution comes into force India became a republic with Rajendra Prasad as its first President.	Republic of India
1951	Democracy restored in Nepal	Kingdom of Nepal
1951	India's first general election (1951–52)	Republic of India
1952	Bengali Language Movement	Pakistan (West & East)
1953	First ascent of Everest	Kingdom of Nepal
1953	Andhra State formed It became the first state formed on a linguistic basis.	Republic of India
1954	French settlements transferred to India	Republic of India
1954	Panchsheel agreement with China	Republic of India
1956	Pakistan becomes an Islamic Republic	Pakistan (West & East)
1956	Sinhala Only Act	Dominion of Ceylon
1956	States Reorganisation Act States were reorganised largely on linguistic lines into 14 states and 6 union territories.	Republic of India
1958	Ayub Khan's coup	Pakistan (West & East)
1959	The Dalai Lama takes refuge in India	Republic of India
1960	Indus Waters Treaty
1960	Bombay State split into Maharashtra and Gujarat	Republic of India
1961	Goa liberated Portuguese rule ended and Goa, Daman and Diu joined India.	Republic of India