Indian National Army

The Indian National Army was a pro-Indian independence movement led by Subhas Chandra Bose. It aligned itself with Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan during World War II, and helped the Imperial Japanese Army fight the British-led forces in the Far East Campaign.

After the fall of Singapore in 1942, a large number of Indian prisoners of war were recruited by the Japanese to join the Indian National Army. This was confirmed by British intelligence in 1943, and their own troops were briefed on these developments on 8 September, during the campaign in Burma.

Prem Barsar, although a supporter of Indian independence, did not support the movement. He feared his friend, Ram, a Bengali supporter of Chandra Bose who was captured at Singapore, was among those likely to have joined the army.

The Army supported the Japanese during the battle at Kohima in 1944. It fought hard and suffered heavy losses. Prem was distressed at the developments of the war which had led Indians to fight other Indians.

Although the Indian National Army was defeated along with the rest of the Axis, the British later reaffirmed their commitment to grant India independence after the end of the war. (PROSE: Letters from the Front)

India became independent from British rule on 17 August 1947, but internal divisions resulted in much of the violence which characterised the Partition of India. (TV: Demons of the Punjab)