Indian National Army (INA) — Azad Hind Fauj

Indian National Army INA, also called the Azad Hind Fauj, was an armed force formed in September 1942 from Indian prisoners of war in Singapore after the British surrender to Japan, and later reorganised under Subhas Chandra Bose in 1943 to liberate India from British colonial rule through armed struggle.

How Was the Indian National Army INA Formed?

The Indian National Army was first organised in September 1942 by Captain Mohan Singh, an officer of the British Indian Army captured by Japanese forces after the fall of Singapore in February 1942. Approximately 45,000 Indian soldiers were held as prisoners of war in Southeast Asia. Inspired by the possibility of using these soldiers for India's independence, Mohan Singh raised the first INA with Japanese support.

However, differences arose between Mohan Singh and the Japanese military leadership over the INA's role and autonomy. Mohan Singh feared the INA would be used merely as a Japanese auxiliary force rather than as an independent Indian liberation army. As a result, the first INA was effectively dissolved in late 1942 and Mohan Singh was placed under arrest.

The fortunes of the INA changed dramatically in 1943 when Subhas Chandra Bose arrived in Singapore. Known as "Netaji" (meaning Leader), Bose had escaped house arrest in Calcutta and made a remarkable journey through Afghanistan, the Soviet Union, and Germany before reaching Southeast Asia by submarine. On 4 July 1943, Bose assumed command of the reorganised INA and transformed it into a formidable nationalist fighting force.

What Was the Structure and Motto of the Azad Hind Fauj?

Under Bose's leadership, the Indian National Army was reorganised into three combat divisions, each named after a prominent leader of the Indian National Congress:

• Gandhi Brigade — named after Mahatma Gandhi
• Nehru Brigade — named after Jawaharlal Nehru
• Azad Brigade — named after Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

The motto of the INA was "Ittehad, Etemad, Qurbani" — Unity, Faith, and Sacrifice — values that reflected the army's aspiration to unite Indians across religious, regional, and caste lines in a common cause against colonial rule.

One of the most remarkable features of the INA was the formation of the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, a women's combat unit led by Dr. Lakshmi Sahgal, later known as Captain Lakshmi. Named after the warrior queen of the 1857 uprising, this regiment was among the first organised women's military units in Asian history and embodied Bose's inclusive vision of India's liberation.

What Was the Provisional Government of Free India (Azad Hind)?

On 21 October 1943, Bose proclaimed the establishment of the Provisional Government of Free India, popularly known as the Azad Hind Government, at a ceremony in Singapore. Nine Axis powers — including Germany, Japan, and Italy — formally recognised this government-in-exile.

The Azad Hind Government issued its own currency, stamps, and judicial system, and declared war on Britain and the United States. It also administered the Andaman and Nicobar Islands — briefly renamed "Shaheed Dweep" and "Swaraj Dweep" — which were then under Japanese occupation. This was the first time Indian soil was governed, even nominally, by an Indian authority in the modern era.

What Happened During the Imphal-Kohima Campaign?

The military climax of the INA came in 1944. Coordinating with the Japanese Army, INA troops advanced into Indian territory as part of Operation U-Go, known as the Imphal-Kohima Campaign (March–July 1944). INA soldiers entered northeastern India and on 14 April 1944 hoisted the tricolour at Moirang in Manipur — fulfilling Bose's pledge to plant India's flag on Indian soil, a moment of enormous symbolic significance.

However, the campaign ended in catastrophic failure. Allied forces under General William Slim mounted a ferocious defence. Logistical breakdowns, relentless monsoon rains, and a determined British-Indian counter-offensive reversed the advance. The battles of Imphal and Kohima proved to be among the most decisive of the Second World War in Asia, inflicting devastating losses on both the Japanese and the INA through combat, disease, and starvation during the jungle retreat through Burma.

By mid-1945, the INA had ceased to exist as a fighting force. Subhas Chandra Bose died on 18 August 1945 in a plane crash near Taipei, Taiwan, following Japan's surrender — an event whose circumstances remain debated among historians and carry deep emotional resonance in India.

Why Did the INA Trials Become a Turning Point in India's Independence?

The British decision to prosecute captured INA officers backfired profoundly. The first trials — held at the Red Fort in Delhi from November 1945 — charged three officers: Colonel Prem Kumar Sahgal, Colonel Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon, and General Shah Nawaz Khan. Their combination — a Hindu, a Sikh, and a Muslim — made the trials a rallying point for national unity across communities.

The Indian National Congress assembled a formidable legal defence team:

1. Bhulabhai Desai — led the defence with brilliant arguments challenging Britain's authority to try men who had fought for India's own freedom
2. Jawaharlal Nehru — appeared in his barrister's robes for the first time in many years, lending enormous moral authority to the defence
3. Tej Bahadur Sapru — a distinguished constitutional lawyer who strengthened the legal standing of the defence case

The trials provoked nationwide outrage and an outpouring of public sympathy for the accused. Mass rallies demanded their release. Anger over the trials contributed to the Royal Indian Navy Ratings Mutiny of February 1946. Faced with collapsing institutional loyalty in the Indian armed forces, the British abandoned the prosecutions — a humiliating reversal. All three officers were eventually released, though dismissed from service.

What Is the Significance of the Indian National Army INA?

Although the INA was militarily defeated, its historical significance extends far beyond the battlefield:

• It demonstrated that Indian soldiers' loyalty to the British Crown could no longer be relied upon — a fundamental threat to the entire colonial enterprise built on that loyalty.
• The INA trials united public opinion across communal, class, and regional divides in a way few events had achieved since the Non-Cooperation Movement of the 1920s.
• British leaders, including Prime Minister Clement Attlee, later acknowledged that the breakdown of loyalty in the Indian armed forces made continued colonial rule impossible to sustain.
• The INA directly accelerated the British decision to transfer power, contributing to Indian independence on 15 August 1947.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who formed the Indian National Army INA and when?

The first Indian National Army INA was formed in September 1942 by Captain Mohan Singh from Indian prisoners of war captured after the fall of Singapore. It was dissolved later that year and reorganised in 1943 under Subhas Chandra Bose, who assumed command on 4 July 1943.

What was the motto of the INA?

The motto of the Indian National Army was "Ittehad, Etemad, Qurbani," meaning Unity, Faith, and Sacrifice. This motto reflected Bose's vision of a united Indian effort, transcending religious and regional divisions, to achieve freedom from British rule.

What was the Rani of Jhansi Regiment?

The Rani of Jhansi Regiment was the women's combat unit of the Indian National Army, named after the famous queen who fought the British in 1857. It was led by Dr. Lakshmi Sahgal (Captain Lakshmi) and was one of the first organised women's military units in Asian history.

What were the INA Trials of 1945?

The INA Trials, also called the Red Fort Trials, were court-martial proceedings initiated by the British in November 1945 against captured INA officers. The trials aroused massive public sympathy in India. Defended by Bhulabhai Desai, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Tej Bahadur Sapru, the accused were acquitted of the most serious charges and released, marking a significant blow to British authority.

How did the INA contribute to Indian independence?

Though militarily defeated, the Indian National Army INA accelerated Indian independence by demonstrating that Indian soldiers' loyalty to the British Crown could not be taken for granted. The mass sympathy generated by the INA trials, combined with the naval mutiny of 1946, convinced British leaders that colonial rule was no longer sustainable, hastening the transfer of power in 1947.

Sources and Further Reading

According to IGNOU's BHIC-134 (History of India from c. 1750 to c. 1950), Unit 23 covers the Indian National Army and the Azad Hind movement as a critical episode in the final phase of India's freedom struggle. The unit draws on primary accounts of Bose's leadership, the Imphal-Kohima campaign, and the Red Fort Trials to assess the INA's military record and political consequences. Students are encouraged to consult IGNOU's BHIC-134 study materials alongside Bipan Chandra's India's Struggle for Independence for a comprehensive understanding.