The Balkan Plan for fragmentation of India was the brain-child of

1. The Balkan Plan is another name for the 'Dickie Bird Plan' or 'Plan Balkan', drafted by Lord Mountbatten's administration (likely involving V.P. Menon and others on his staff) in mid-1947. 2. This plan proposed the fragmentation of India by allowing the various provinces and princely states to decide whether to join India, Pakistan, or remain independent. 3. It was presented to Indian leaders like Nehru, who vehemently rejected it, fearing it would lead to the 'Balkanisation' (fragmentation into small, hostile states, like the Balkans) of India. 4. Consequently, this plan was quickly abandoned in favour of the final partition plan (the Mountbatten Plan or June 3rd Plan), which proposed the division of British India into two dominions, India and Pakistan. 5. Therefore, the Balkan Plan was the brain-child of Lord Mountbatten (or his team).