The Wavell Plan was proposed by Lord Wavell, the Viceroy of India, in June 1945. It aimed to resolve the political deadlock in India during the final phase of British rule and became the basis of the Shimla Conference (1945).
Background
-
The Second World War was ending, and Britain needed Indian cooperation for the post-war order.
-
The failure of the Gandhi–Jinnah Talks (1944) and the Desai–Liaqat Pact (1945) had highlighted the growing divide between the Congress and the Muslim League.
-
Wavell wanted to bring Indian leaders together to discuss a new constitutional framework.
Main Provisions of the Wavell Plan
-
Reconstitution of the Viceroy’s Executive Council: All members (except the Viceroy and the Commander-in-Chief) would be Indians.
-
Equal representation for caste Hindus and Muslims in the Council.
-
Adequate representation for Sikhs, Christians, Parsis, and depressed classes.
-
The Executive Council would function like a cabinet, making decisions collectively.
-
The future constitution of India would be decided by Indians themselves after the war.
-
Defense would remain temporarily under the British Commander-in-Chief.
Purpose
-
To give Indians a larger share in governance while keeping ultimate power with the British.
-
To settle the Congress–League dispute by ensuring parity between Hindus and Muslims.
Reactions
-
Congress: Welcomed Indianization but opposed the idea of the Muslim League exclusively representing all Muslims.
-
Muslim League: Accepted the plan in principle but demanded sole right to nominate all Muslim members.
-
Other groups (Sikhs, depressed classes): Feared their interests would be ignored in the Hindu–Muslim power struggle.
Failure
-
The Shimla Conference (June–July 1945) was called to implement the Wavell Plan, but it collapsed.
-
Main reason: The Muslim League’s insistence on being the only representative of Muslims, which Congress rejected.
Impact
-
Exposed the deepening communal divide in Indian politics.
-
Enhanced the prestige of the Muslim League, strengthening its claim to represent all Muslims.
-
Paved the way for the elections of 1945–46, which confirmed communal polarization.
-
Marked a step closer to partition, as Hindu–Muslim cooperation seemed impossible.
Key Takeaway
The Wavell Plan (1945) was Britain’s last major attempt to form a united interim government before independence. Its failure showed the growing dominance of communal politics and made the demand for Pakistan stronger than ever.