Featured moment · World history
Indian independence
15 August 1947
India gained independence from British colonial rule amid partition, which created the new dominions of India and Pakistan.
What happened?
India became independent on 15 August 1947. Independence followed decades of political mobilisation, civil resistance and constitutional negotiation.
Why it mattered
Partition was accompanied by immense migration and communal violence. Independence transformed South Asian politics and accelerated worldwide decolonisation.