What was the approach of the Government of India towards the princely states immediately after the partition of India in 1947?

The official policy statement of the Government of India made by Sardar Patel on July 5, 1947 made no such threats. It reassured the princely states about the Congress' intentions, and invited them to join independent India 'to make laws sitting together as friends than to make treaties as aliens'.

The government’s approach was guided by three considerations:

I. The people of most of the Princely States wanted to become part of the Indian Union.

II. The government was prepared to be flexible in giving autonomy to some regions.

III. In the back drop of partition which brought into focus the contest over demarcation of territory. The integration and consolidation of the territorial boundaries of the nation had assumed supreme importance.