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What problems did Jawaharlal Nehru face when India became independent in 1947?

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Jawaharlal Nehru, c. 1930s — Jawaharlal Nehru As India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru was in office for more than 16 years, making him the country's longest-serving prime minister.

Upon becoming the first prime minister of independent India in 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru faced a multitude of profound challenges that threatened the stability of the newborn dominion.1

The most immediate and devastating issue was the legacy of the partition of India. This division triggered a massive population transfer of approximately 15 million people, accompanied by widespread communal violence that resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths. Nehru’s government was tasked with the immense burden of refugee resettlement amidst this chaos.231

Beyond the humanitarian crisis, Nehru confronted several critical difficulties:

Economic Instability: The country suffered from severe economic disruption and a lack of resources to meet basic needs.1
Communal Conflict: Despite the partition, more than 10 percent of India’s population remained Muslim, and continuing communal tensions required urgent attention.1
Territorial Disputes: Within months of independence, India was drawn into an undeclared war with Pakistan over the Kashmir region.14
Integration of Princely States: Nehru had to oversee the complex political integration of hundreds of princely states into the Indian union.4

Nehru navigated these "arduous years" by promoting secular leadership and initiating long-term economic planning to address the country's deep-seated poverty and social divisions.15