Departmental Papers: Political (External) Files and Collections

IOR/L/PS/12

Departmental Papers: Political (External) Files and Collections

1903-1950

The series is divided into (a) Annual Files, and (b) Collections. The Annual Files (1931-1949) consist of documents on a single topic, usually disposed of fairly quickly and generally dealing with matters of peripheral or ephemeral interest - the Collections (59 in all) contain material that was regarded as of greater importance and/or of long-term relevance.

Political and Secret Memoranda and Library [IOR/L/PS/18 & 20]; for Indexes and Registers: see IOR/Z/L/PS/12

Public Record(s)

English

4838 files or volumes

Available for research unless otherwise stated

Up to 1930 the Political Department of the India Office dealt with both the foreign policy of the Government of India (and of Great Britain as it affected India) and with the affairs of the Indian Princely States. From April 1930 these two functions were separated and placed under separate departments - the Political (Internal) Department took over all work relating to the Indian States and also handled questions relating to Honours, while the Political (External) Department dealt with foreign affairs, including frontier matters (except where these fell more properly within the jurisdiction of the Political (Internal) or the Public and Judicial Departments) and consular questions. In 1941 the Political (Internal) Department was amalgamated with the Public and Judicial Department to form the Political Department and the Political (External) Department was renamed the External Department. On the Transfer of Power in August 1947 the External Department became a department of the Commonwealth Relations Office - it merged with the Political Department in April 1948 but retained its own registry until 1950.