The Mountbatten Plan was a proposal put forward by Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, in June 1947. It proposed the partition of India into two separate countries – India and Pakistan. This plan culminated in the Indian Independence Act of 1947, which formally ended British colonial rule in India and granted independence to both India and Pakistan.

Explanation:

The Mountbatten Plan was proposed in response to the growing tensions between the Hindu and Muslim communities in India. It aimed to create two separate states – one for Hindus and one for Muslims – in order to prevent further violence and bloodshed. The plan was accepted by both the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League, and on August 15, 1947, India and Pakistan were officially granted independence.

The Indian Independence Act of 1947 was the legal framework that established the new nations of India and Pakistan. It provided for the division of British India into two separate dominions, with a boundary drawn along religious lines. The Act also gave the Indian provinces the option to join either of the two countries, or to remain independent.

The Act had several key provisions, including:

- The establishment of two separate dominions – India and Pakistan – with their own governments and constitutions.
- The partition of the Punjab and Bengal provinces, which had large Muslim populations, into separate states.
- The transfer of power from British colonial authorities to the new governments of India and Pakistan.
- The granting of citizenship to people living in either of the two countries.

The Indian Independence Act of 1947 marked the end of over 200 years of British colonial rule in India. It also paved the way for the creation of the world's largest democracy, with India becoming a republic in 1950. However, the partition of India and Pakistan also led to one of the largest and most violent migrations in history, with millions of people forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in the other country.