IOR/R/1/1

The Internal Branch was created in 1884 to handle relations with Indian States and matters concerning Bhutan and Sikkim. About 1900, the branch was divided into Sections A and B, primarily on a geographical basis. In 1906, Section A was dealing with Ajmer, Baroda, Bombay, Madras, Mysore, Punjab, Rajputana, and foreign settlements, while Section B was dealing with Bengal, Central India, Central Provinces, Hyderabad, Kashmir, and United Provinces. General subjects were allocated as follows: arms, census, famine, petitions, plague, thagi and dakaiti, titles and salutes to Section A; exhibitions, Imperial Cadet Corps, Imperial Service Troops, railways, state prisoners to Section B.

In 1912, the allocation by subject completely superseded the allocation by territory: Section A took political and dynastic matters, budgetary and boundary matters, installations and the powers of rulers, while Section B handled states' internal affairs, such as British jurisdiction and the rights of British subjects in Indian states, land revenue settlements, irrigation and forests, railways, posts and telegraphs, mining, industry, customs and excise, opium and salt. Section C was created in 1912 to deal with orders, titles, salutes and precedence, and was transferred in 1921 to the General Branch, where it became Section B [see IOR/R/1/4]. In April 1923, the Internal Branch divided: Section A became the new Political Branch and Section B retained the name Internal Branch.

In 1922, the proceedings system in the Foreign and Political Department branch registries was replaced by a file system. A single sequence of Internal files was created, with the relevant section often indicated by an 'A' or 'B' or a 'P' or 'I'. In 1924, new separate file numbering cycles were started for the Political and Internal Branches.

Between 1920 and 1922 a Reforms Branch had operated in connection with the Government of India Act 1919. A new Reforms Branch was created in 1928. The Reforms and Internal branches were renamed Internal A Branch and Internal B Branch in 1934.

Other branches created for particular needs included the Special Branch (1930-1931) to deal with work arising from the report of the Butler Committee and with economic and financial questions in preparation for the Round Table Conference; the Federation Branch (1935-1941) to deal with work relating to the federal system proposed in the Government of India Act 1935; the War Branch (formed 1939 and renamed Internal D Branch in 1946) to deal with matters connected with World War II; the Internal C Branch (formed 1944) to deal with commercial subjects; Internal E Branch (formed 1946 from the post-war reconstruction sub-section of the War Branch); a third Reforms Branch (formed 1946 in connection with the ending of Paramountcy).