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Indian National Army
Japanese Army and the Indian Nationalists joined forces to create the Indian National Army, also known as the Azad Hind Fauj, in 1942. This force was established during World War II to aid India’s fight for independence from British rule. In 1942, Mohan Singh created this force out of the Indian POWs of the British Army who had been captured by Japan. The INA ultimately split up, but Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose helped the organization reform. The phases of the Indian National Army and Subhash Chandra Bose’s life will be covered in this article, which will be useful for UPSC exam preparation.
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Indian National Army History
Prior to the start of World War II, Japan and Southeast Asia hosted the majority of the displaced Indian Nationalists. At the beginning of World War II in Southeast Asia, 70,000 Indian soldiers were deployed along the shore of Malaya. Numerous Indian soldiers were captured prisoner of war after the Japanese army’s campaign along the coast of Malaya was successful. After Singapore fell, nearly 45,000 troops were captured on their own.
The first Indian National Army was created from these prisoners of war. Mohan Singh, a British-Indian Army officer captured during the Malayan Campaign, founded this force. There was an increase in volunteers who wished to join the INA as a result of the deplorable conditions in the PoW camps and the intense animosity towards the British army. Rash Behari Bose, an Indian Nationalist, was granted overall command of the army.
The Japanese Imperial Army, as well as those of Indian descent who lived in Southeast Asia, enthusiastically backed the INA. But the INA was disbanded in 1942 as a result of disputes with the Japanese, particularly with Mohan Singh.
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Indian National Army First Phase
The first Indian National Army was created from these prisoners of war. Mohan Singh, a British-Indian Army officer captured during the Malayan Campaign, founded this force. There was an increase in volunteers who wished to join the INA as a result of the deplorable conditions in the PoW camps and the intense animosity towards the British army. Rash Behari Bose, an Indian Nationalist, was granted overall command of the army.
The Japanese Imperial Army, as well as those of Indian descent who lived in Southeast Asia, enthusiastically backed the INA. But the INA was disbanded in 1942 as a result of disputes with the Japanese, particularly with Mohan Singh.
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Indian National Army Second Phase
Subhas Bose’s presence in Singapore signalled the start of the second phase. Subhas Chandra Bose met Japanese Prime Minister Tojo in Tokyo in June 1943 while posing as Abid Hussain. Another outstanding freedom warrior worth mentioning here is Rashbehari Bose. He escaped to Japan in 1915 after his revolutionary efforts were unsuccessful.
Rashbehari Bose ultimately acquired Japanese citizenship. He made a lot of effort to pique Japanese interest in the campaign for Indian independence. He joined pan-Asian organizations, founded the Indian Club of Tokyo, and gave speeches on the negative effects of western colonization. He was inspired by Subhas Chandra Bose since a young age. When Mohan Singh founded the Indian National Army in Singapore, Rashbehari Bose was overjoyed and promptly left Tokyo for Southeast Asia.
Rashbehari Bose himself would serve as the chairman of the Indian Independence League, which was decided at a meeting in Bangkok, which was also then under Japanese occupation. He established the League in Tokyo in 1942. Subhash Bose was ready when the Japanese asked him to head the INA. Rashbehari Bose, whom he met in Singapore, happily gave Subhash control and leadership of the Indian Independence League and the INA in July 1943.
It should be mentioned that Rashbehari Bose’s organisational efforts were instrumental in enabling Subhas Bose to create the Indian National Army. Subhas Bose was named the INA’s Supreme Leader on August 25. On October 21, 1943, Subhas Bose established the Provisional Government for Free India in Singapore with the help of H.C. Chatterjee (who held the portfolio of Finance), M.A. Aiyar (who held the portfolio of Broadcasting), Lakshmi Swaminathan (who held the portfolio of Women Affairs), and others.
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Indian National Army and Subhas Chandra Bose
The Japanese Army Command was furious at Mohan Singh’s deeds, but they nonetheless consented to the formation of a second Indian National Army. Subash Chandra Bose was proposed by Mohan Singh himself for the leadership post. His image as a devoted nationalist was known to the Imperial Japanese Army as well as the Indian diaspora in South East Asia. They were more receptive to the idea of Subash Chandra Bose commanding a nationalist army as a consequence.
Due to his activities in India, Subash Chandra Bose had to be detained by the British government; however, in 1941, he managed to flee and make it to Berlin. Although they were sympathetic to his cause, the German leadership was unable to help him raise an army to battle the Brits because of logistical problems. Subash Chandra Bose arrived in Singapore in July 1943 to assume command of the second Indian National Army, now known as the Azad Hind Fauj, at the invitation of the Japanese, who were prepared to support him.
After Subash Chandra Bose took over the Azad Hind Fauj, there was a surge in volunteers seeking to join the INA. This interim administration, which declared war on both the United Kingdom and the United States, was recognised by the Axis countries. In addition to raising money for the INA, recruits were educated. Additionally, the Rani Jhansi Regiment, a female unit, was established. Army recruits were instructed to march from Rangoon (Burma), where the INA HQ had moved in January 1944, while spouting the battle cry “Chalo Delhi!”
On November 6, 1943, the Japanese forces gave the INA control of the Andaman and Nicobar islands, which were renamed Shahid Dweep and Swaraj Dweep, respectively. On July 6, 1944, Subhas Bose hailed Mahatma Gandhi as “Father of the Nation” from Azad Hind Radio (the first person to address Gandhi as “Father of the Nation”). Gandhi’s approval was requested for “India’s final war of independence,” he said. The INA’s continued subordination to the Japanese Army was something Subash Chandra Bose accepted, but he saw it as a necessary step towards the ultimate objective of freeing India from the British Empire.
The Japanese Army was allowed to bring one INA battalion, under the command of Shah Nawaz, to the Indo-Burma front and participate in the Imphal battle. The Indians were unjustly denied rations and weapons and made to perform menial tasks for Japanese troops, which disgusted and demoralised the INA units. Any dreams of the INA releasing the nation were dashed by Japan’s continued withdrawal after that. Up until mid-1945, the withdrawal continued. The Second World War ended with Japan’s capitulation on August 15, 1945, and the INA followed suit. Reports state that on August 18, 1945, Subhas Bose mysteriously perished in an aeroplane accident close to Taipei (Taiwan).
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Indian National Army Operations
Bose believed that although the INA had to work as a subordinate under the Japanese Army, it was a necessary sacrifice for him to make in order to achieve his ultimate goal of releasing India from British control. In 1944, the INA took part in Operation U-Go, a Japanese offensive against British India. The INA, despite being successful in the early stages of the campaign, suffered a setback when they were compelled to retreat during the battles of Imphal and Kohima, in which the British decisively defeated the Japanese.
As a result, the INA lost a sizable number of troops and supplies throughout this retreat. The Japanese Army, which was already in decline, ordered many of the units to disband or merge. After Japan was vanquished in World War II, the British Army captured the majority of the Azad Hind Fauj. Bose escaped arrest and made his way to Dalian, which is close to the Soviet border, at the time of Japan’s capitulation in 1945. But soon after, it was claimed that he had perished in a plane crash close to Taiwan. The INA’s surviving members turned themselves in to British Indian troops in Singapore following Bose’s passing.
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Indian National Army UPSC
The Azad Hind Fauj’s primary objective from the start was Indian freedom, which the British attempted to hasten with the start of the Quit India Movement. It is safe to state that even in defeat, the Indian National Army prevailed over its colonial oppressors. We will always recall Subhash Chandra Bose for his bravery and selfless deeds. As part of the year-long celebrations and to honour Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s 125th birthday, the government recently decided to build a sizable statue of him at India Gate. His Jayanti is observed as “Parakram Diwas” on January 23.’
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