India and Pakistan become independent

15 August 1947, India and Pakistan

Nine decades after the Indian independence movement first began, British India was partitioned into two self-governing countries, India and Pakistan, at the stroke of midnight. The eve of the historic moment was marked by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India, who delivered his landmark ‘Tryst with Destiny’ speech to the Indian Constituent Assembly. Independence brought an end to two centuries of British rule, however the Partition of British India forced millions of people to uproot their lives and migrate, with Muslims heading to Pakistan and Hindus and Sikhs to India. The Partition was poorly planned (Britain had brought the date forward a whole year) leading to violence against ethnic minorities and disease sweeping through refugee camps. In the seven decades since Partition, there has been tension and conflict between India and Pakistan, particularly over the region of Kashmir, an issue that remains unresolved to this day.