The Nizam of Hyderabad remained steadfast in his position of retaining the state’s sovereignty. Following failed talks on 11 July, the Nizam wrote to Mountbatten on 8th August reitirating that he would no accede to either India or Pakistan but was willing to align his foreign policy with India.

The Nizam of Hyderabad, Osman Ali Khan paying homage to the British monarch George V and Queen consort Mary, Delhi, 1935

Source: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Indian National Congress’s uncompromising position of integrating the princely states and the Nizam’s insistence of retaining control of his state after the British left set the stage for armed conflict between the Indian Army and Hyderabadi forces.