Subhas Bose and the INA: Strategy, Campaign, and Aftermath
Subhas Chandra Bose chose armed struggle and international alliances to hasten British exit. Taking command of the Indian National Army (INA) in 1943, he raised the Azad Hind Government, rallied Indians in Southeast Asia, and pushed towards India with Japanese support. Though the Imphal campaign failed, the INA trials and subsequent naval mutinies shook British confidence in the loyalty of their Indian forces.
From Congress Leader to Exile
- Twice Congress President (Haripura 1938; Tripuri 1939), clashed with Gandhi over methods; formed Forward Bloc (1939).
- Placed under house arrest, escaped (1941) via Kabul to Berlin; sought Axis help.
- Found German support limited; shifted to Japan-controlled Southeast Asia via submarine (1943).
INA Revival under Bose
- Rashbehari Bose had earlier organised a small INA from Indian POWs; morale low.
- Subhas assumed leadership in July 1943; renamed units, improved discipline, and framed political goal of Azad Hind.
- Azad Hind Government proclaimed in Singapore (Oct 1943); recognised by Axis-aligned states; had its own currency, postage, and courts.
- Rani Jhansi Regiment: All-women combat unit led by Captain Lakshmi Sahgal—symbolic of inclusive mobilisation.
Campaign: “Chalo Dilli”
- INA fought alongside Japanese in the Burma theatre; advanced to Indian border.
- Imphal/Kohima (1944) offensive failed due to Allied resistance, monsoon, logistics, and disease; retreat decimated INA strength.
- Bose moved to Rangoon/ Bangkok; plane crash reported in Taiwan (August 1945) remains debated.
Psychological and Political Impact
- INA’s military impact limited, but its existence showed Indians fighting under their own flag; inspired diaspora support.
- Red Fort Trials (Nov 1945): Officers Shah Nawaz, Sehgal, Dhillon tried for treason; defence lawyers (Bhulabhai Desai, Asaf Ali) made it a nationalist cause; public sympathy cut across communal lines.
- Forces’ loyalty questioned: RIN mutiny (Feb 1946) and unrest in army/air force signalled that British could not fully rely on Indian ranks if faced with mass resistance.
- British policymakers acknowledged that holding India by force was increasingly costly and risky.
Bose’s Ideas and Legacy
- Believed in synthesis of nationalism and social justice; spoke of planning, industrialisation, and egalitarianism.
- Emphasised secular, inclusive appeal—INA units had all faiths; salutation “Jai Hind,” slogans “Ittehad, Itmad, Kurbani.”
- Controversial alliances with Axis powers—seen as tactical by supporters, problematic given fascist regimes.
- Remains a potent symbol of militant patriotism and sacrifice; debates on means vs ends persist.
Key Facts for Exams
- Forward Bloc founded 1939; INA trials 1945; RIN mutiny 1946.
- INA divisions named after heroes (Gandhi, Nehru, Azad, Subhas) in different phases.
- “Give me blood, I will give you freedom” rallying cry; “Jai Hind” adopted widely later.
- Azad Hind Government headquartered in Singapore; Andaman & Nicobar symbolically handed over as “Shaheed” and “Swaraj.”
Takeaway: Bose’s INA campaign failed militarily but dealt a psychological blow. The trials and military unrest that followed undermined British confidence in their Indian forces and hastened the realisation that the Raj’s coercive apparatus was no longer secure.