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Early career

Born on 23 January 1897 in Cuttack, Bose passed the Indian Civil Service examination but resigned from the service in 1921 to participate in the freedom struggle. Chittaranjan Das became an important political mentor.

Congress president — 1938

Bose was elected Congress president at the Haripura session in 1938. He advocated stronger preparation for independence and a more assertive response to British rule.

Tripuri crisis — 1939

Bose won re-election as Congress president in 1939 but faced opposition from the Gandhi-aligned leadership over political strategy and the composition of the Working Committee. He resigned in 1939.

Resignation and the Forward Bloc

Bose founded the Forward Bloc in 1939 to consolidate left-wing and radical nationalist forces. His objective was to intensify the struggle against British rule.

Second World War begins — 1939

Britain declared India at war without consulting elected Indian representatives. Bose opposed using Indian resources to support the imperial war effort while India remained under colonial rule.

Anti-Compromise Conference — 1940

Bose convened an Anti-Compromise Conference at Ramgarh in March 1940 in cooperation with the Kisan Sabha. It called for a more uncompromising struggle against British imperialism.

Escape — January 1941

After detention and house arrest, Bose escaped from Calcutta in January 1941. He travelled through Afghanistan and eventually reached Germany, seeking external support for India’s independence.

Germany and the Free India Centre

In Germany, Bose used broadcasts to address Indians and organised the Free India Centre. The Indian Legion was formed from Indian prisoners of war captured by German and Italian forces in Europe.

Journey to East Asia — 1943

Bose left Germany in 1943 and travelled by submarine to East Asia, reaching Japan and then Singapore in July. He was preparing to assume leadership of the Indian independence movement in Southeast Asia.

How did the first INA emerge?

After the fall of Singapore to Japan in February 1942, large numbers of Indian soldiers became prisoners of war. Captain Mohan Singh, an officer in the British Indian Army, sought to organise Indian POWs into a force to fight British rule.

Role of Rash Behari Bose

Rash Behari Bose, who had settled in Japan after earlier revolutionary activity, worked to mobilise support among Indian expatriates. The Indian Independence League provided an organisational framework for the independence movement in Southeast Asia.

Bangkok conference — 1942

Representatives of Indian organisations in Southeast Asia discussed coordination under the Indian Independence League, with Rash Behari Bose in a leading role.

Why did the first phase falter?

Mohan Singh and Japanese authorities disagreed over the size, independence and role of the INA. The Japanese leadership wanted a force under its strategic control, while Mohan Singh sought a more autonomous Indian army. He was detained by the Japanese, and the first phase broke down.

Arrival in Singapore — July 1943

Bose reached Singapore in July 1943 and assumed leadership of the Indian Independence League and the INA. He became the principal political and military figure of the second phase of the INA.

Reorganisation and recruitment

Bose sought to build a disciplined force, mobilise Indian communities in Southeast Asia and collect funds for the independence struggle. His leadership strengthened the INA’s public profile and recruitment effort.

Leadership and symbolism

Bose used speeches, radio broadcasts, public rallies and nationalist symbols to foster unity among Indians abroad. He emphasised sacrifice and the goal of ending British rule.

Formation — 21 October 1943

Bose proclaimed the Provisional Government of Free India, commonly known as the Azad Hind Government, in Singapore on 21 October 1943. It claimed to represent independent India and declared war on Britain and the United States.

International recognition

The government received recognition from Japan and several other Axis-aligned states. Its authority and territory were limited, but its formation was intended to give the independence movement a government-in-exile framework.

Administration and mobilisation

The government organised departments, raised funds, recruited volunteers and supported the INA. Bose held the leading political and military positions.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Japan transferred nominal authority over the islands to the Azad Hind Government in 1943. Bose visited the islands in December and associated them with the names Shahid and Swaraj. Japanese military control remained an important limitation.

Azad Hind Radio

Radio broadcasts helped Bose communicate with audiences in India and abroad. In July 1944, he addressed Mahatma Gandhi as “Father of the Nation” and sought his blessings for the final struggle for independence.

Headquarters at Rangoon

The INA headquarters moved to Rangoon in early 1944 as the Japanese advance towards the Indian frontier developed. The campaign aimed to cross into India and encourage wider resistance to British rule.

Imphal and Kohima

INA units accompanied Japanese forces during the 1944 campaign towards Imphal and Kohima. The effort depended on Japanese military planning, supply lines and the ability to operate in difficult terrain.

Indian soil — March 1944

INA forces crossed into Indian territory in March 1944. On 14 April, INA personnel raised their flag at Moirang in Manipur, a landmark in the campaign.

Why did the campaign fail?

• The Japanese offensive at Imphal and Kohima failed.
• Supply lines became stretched and vulnerable.
• Monsoon conditions, disease, hunger and shortages weakened the troops.
• Japanese retreat forced INA units to withdraw as well.

Formation and purpose

The Rani of Jhansi Regiment was a women’s regiment of the INA, named after Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi. It symbolised the participation of women in armed struggle and Bose’s effort to mobilise Indians across gender and regional boundaries.

Captain Lakshmi Sahgal

Dr Lakshmi Swaminathan, later widely known as Lakshmi Sahgal, led the regiment. A medical doctor based in Southeast Asia, she became one of the best-known women associated with the INA.

Training and service

The regiment underwent military training and formed part of the INA’s broader organisational effort. Its role included training and support activities; the extent of direct combat varied, and the regiment should not be treated as having fought uniformly as a conventional front-line unit.

Historical significance

• Challenged conventional restrictions on women’s participation in military and nationalist activity.
• Helped mobilise Indian women in Southeast Asia.
• Strengthened the INA’s public image as a national force.

Retreat — 1944–1945

Following the failed Imphal-Kohima campaign, Japanese and INA forces retreated. Supply problems, casualties, illness and Allied advances weakened the INA’s ability to continue military operations.

Japan surrenders — August 1945

Japan’s surrender in August 1945 ended the military circumstances on which the INA campaign depended. Many INA personnel were captured and subsequently returned to India for trial or interrogation.

Bose’s reported death

Subhas Chandra Bose was reported to have died following an air crash at Taipei on 18 August 1945. The circumstances of his death have remained disputed in public debate and have been examined by official inquiries. For UPSC, distinguish the reported historical account from later controversy.

The end of the INA as a fighting force

The INA could not achieve its military objective. Its surrender and the subsequent trials, however, transformed the public and political significance of the movement.

Why were INA officers tried?

After the war, the British prosecuted selected INA officers by court-martial. The first major Red Fort trial began in late 1945 and became a focal point of national political debate.

The first prominent trial

The three officers most prominently associated with the first Red Fort trial were Shah Nawaz Khan, Prem Kumar Sehgal and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon. They represented different religious communities, and the trial acquired strong nationalist symbolism.

Defence and public mobilisation

Indian political leaders and lawyers opposed the prosecution. Bhulabhai Desai led the defence, with other prominent lawyers and Congress figures also involved. Public meetings, fundraising and protests spread across India.

Why did the trials matter?

• The INA officers became symbols of patriotic sacrifice.
• Public sympathy crossed many religious and political boundaries.
• The trials challenged British claims to moral and political legitimacy.
• The issue helped energise a broader anti-colonial atmosphere in 1945–46.

Military impact: The INA failed to liberate India through military operations, but demonstrated that Indian soldiers could be mobilised against British rule under a nationalist banner.

Political impact: The trials generated widespread sympathy, political mobilisation and public debate over loyalty, patriotism and colonial authority.

Psychological impact: The INA became a powerful symbol of resistance and influenced how many Indians viewed the British Indian armed forces.

Limits: Its campaign depended heavily on Japanese support, and military setbacks, shortages and Japan’s surrender prevented its objective from being achieved.