With reference to the Government of India Act, 1935, consider the following statements: 1. It provided for the establishment of an All India Federation based on the union of the British Indian Provinces and Princely States. 2. Defence and Foreign Affairs were kept under the control of the federal legislature. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The Government of India Act, 1935 envisaged an All India Federation comprising the British Indian Provinces and the Princely States; although the federation never came into being because the requisite number of princely states did not accede, the provision did exist in the Act. So statement 1 is correct. However, Defence and Foreign Affairs (along with Ecclesiastical Affairs and Tribal Areas) were classified as "reserved" subjects under the Governor-General and were NOT placed under the federal legislature's control — they were kept beyond the purview of ministerial responsibility. So statement 2 is incorrect. Only statement 1 is correct.