* The Cripps Mission was a failed attempt in late March 1942 by the British government to secure full Indian cooperation and support for their efforts in World War II. * The mission was headed by a senior minister Sir Stafford Cripps, Lord Privy Seal and leader of the House of Commons.
* Cripps was sent to negotiate an agreement with the nationalist Congress leaders, who spoke for the majority Indians, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the Muslim League, who spoke for the minority Muslim population.
* Cripps worked to keep India loyal to the British war effort in exchange for a promise of elections and full self-government (Dominion status) once the war was over. * Cripps discussed the proposals, which he had drafted himself, with the Indian leaders and published them.
* Both the major parties rejected his proposals, and they were also unacceptable to Churchill; no middle way was found and the mission failed.