Daily Mains Question - 13th June 2025
- TPP
- Jun 13
- 3 min read
Welcome to your daily Mains Model Answer — designed to bridge the gap between historical insight and analytical reasoning, just the way UPSC tests in GS Papers. Today’s answer explores how the Indian National Army (INA), under Subhas Chandra Bose, catalyzed India’s independence despite its military defeat.
With the INA’s legacy linked to shifts in nationalist sentiment and military rebellion, questions on this topic are relevant for GS Paper I (Modern Indian History) and may also help in essay writing or ethics case studies involving patriotism and civil-military relations.
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QUESTION
How did the Indian National Army (INA) contribute to India’s independence without fighting on the battlefield?
(15 Marks, 250 Words)
Answer: The Indian National Army (INA), or Azad Hind Fauj, was formed on February 17, 1942, primarily comprising Indian prisoners of war captured by the Japanese during their Southeast Asia campaign. Under the dynamic leadership of Subhas Chandra Bose, the INA sought to liberate India through armed struggle. Though its military offensive was unsuccessful, its non-combat contributions significantly hastened British decolonization in India.
I. INA’s Symbolic and Psychological Impact on Indian Nationalism
Bose galvanized nationalist sentiment by declaring:
“Give me blood, and I will give you freedom.”
He transformed a disorganized INA into a 40,000-strong force, heavily supported by the Indian diaspora, many of whom donated their life savings.
The INA was seen as the first indigenous Indian army fighting colonial rule, boosting national morale.
II. Subhas Chandra Bose’s Strategic Vision
Bose believed in a two-front attack:
“When the British government is attacked from both sides — inside and outside India — it will collapse.”
He hoped the INA’s actions would trigger mass uprisings within India, though the Imphal and Kohima campaign (1944) failed militarily due to:
Japanese retreat,
Allied air superiority,
Starvation, disease, and logistical failures.
III. Post-War Impact and the INA Trials
1. The Red Fort Trials (1945–46):
British Commander-in-Chief Claude Auchinleck initiated treason trials against INA leaders Shah Nawaz Khan, Prem Sahgal, and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon.
These public trials at Red Fort (Nov 1945–May 1946) backfired:
Created national outrage and mass sympathy for INA soldiers.
Even the Indian National Congress, previously critical of Bose, rallied behind them.
Jawaharlal Nehru donned his lawyer's robes to defend the accused.
2. Military Unrest Among British Indian Forces:
Inspired by INA sacrifice, the Royal Indian Navy mutiny (Feb 1946) erupted:
Spread across Bombay, Karachi, and Calcutta,
Involved 20,000+ sailors and 78 ships.
Army revolt in Jabalpur (Feb 1946) followed shortly after.
Historian Mithi Mukherjee writes:
"The very idea of a British Indian Army became untenable… there could only be either a British Army or an Indian Army."
3. Collapse of British Authority:
The loyalty of Indian soldiers had shifted to the nation.
This shattered the imperial military foundation, making colonial control militarily unsustainable.
IV. INA as a Legacy of Unity and Sacrifice
The INA's composition—Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs—embodied national integration.
Bose’s appeal transcended religious lines, presenting a unified vision of India.
Even in defeat, INA soldiers became martyrs and icons of national pride.
Conclusion:
Though it did not achieve military success, the INA’s role in India’s independence struggle was profound. It:
Reignited mass nationalism,
Unified diverse communities under one flag,
And most crucially, shattered the myth of Indian military loyalty to the British Raj.
Its real victory lay not on the battlefield, but in changing the psyche of a nation and its armed forces, ultimately forcing Britain to confront the reality that its empire in India was no longer governable.
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