What was the Instrument of Accession signed by Hari Singh in 1947?

In October 1947, Hari Singh, the maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, signed the Instrument of Accession to join his state to the Indian union.12

Following the British withdrawal from the Indian subcontinent in 1947, rulers of princely states were granted the right to choose between joining India or Pakistan, or, with certain reservations, remaining independent. Although the maharaja initially sought to maintain independence, he signed the document amidst a revolution among his subjects and the intervention of Pashtun tribesmen.2

The Instrument of Accession served as the legal basis for the state's integration into India and later informed the drafting of Article 370. Under its terms, the central government’s jurisdiction over the state was restricted to three specific areas: defense, external affairs, and communications, while all other matters remained under the authority of the state government. This accession precipitated conflict between India and Pakistan, leading to the establishment of a ceasefire line that eventually became the line of control.312