Crown Representative's Records: Political Department Records.

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In the 19th century, the Government's relations with the Indian States were conducted through the Foreign Department. In 1914 the department was renamed the Foreign and Political Department and divided internally into two sides. The Foreign side conducted India's foreign and frontier policy, while the Political side conducted relations with the Indian States. The office of Crown Representative was created by the 1935 Government of India Act as an additional title for the Viceroy and Governor-General to make clear that the Viceroy's political functions in relations with the Indian States were different from his administrative functions in British India. In 1937, the Political side became the new Political Department in New Delhi and Simla reporting to the Crown Representative, with Residents and Political Agents in the Indian States, while the Foreign side became the new External Affairs Department under the Viceroy. By the terms of its creation as a department subordinate to the Crown Representative, the Political Department was not a part of the Government of India.