I doubt you will find too many Irish or India nationals who think they are British – in sovereignty or genetically.
But I don’t know. I’m an American. We will have to ask them.
Even though the British Lords had full dominion to rape wholesale young women (or boys) of an entire race, and where speaking your own language was punishable by death, I don’t think there was enough “integration” going on during that time to blur the distinction. Quite the contrary actually: it tempered the distinction.
So no. I don’t think there is a difference – for the two now sovereign nations of Ireland and India.
Norway was granted independence from Sweden in 1905. They’re doing pretty damn well. And Iceland in turn from Norway after WWII. There are quite a few countries in that category I believe who were granted independence after WWII. For example Indonesia.