Ideas personate an individual, which may lead to dreams bequeathed to another and so on. Indian National Army was such an idea that dreamed of independence from British.

The Indian National Army (I.N.A) or Azad Hind Fauj was the army of Arzi Hukumat-e-Azad Hind (The Provisional Government of Free India) and was formed during World War II by Indian nationalists and prisoners of war, in the course of service in Indian Army who were looking forward to win India`s independence from British empire. Supported by the Japanese 15th army and led by Subhash Chandra Bose, the INA brought up its own government and initiated an attack against British in India. After a limited success, they got defeated during the battle of Imphal in 1944. In 1945 after the defeat of Japan they disbanded completely.

Indian National Army emerged along with Mahatma Gandhi`s peaceful resistance movement within India. In contrast to Mahatma Gandhi, Bose advocated a more aggressive confrontation with the British authorities.

Foundation:
The idea of armed force fighting its way in India to overthrow British Raj originated during the first world war when the Ghadar Party and the nascent embryo of the Indian Independence League planned to rebel in the British Indian Army from the Punjab through Bengal to Hong Kong. But this plan ultimately failed after the information was leaked to British Intellegence.

During the outbreak of war in Europe, Subhash Chandra Bose saw an opportunity to authorize on Britain`s weakness. In January 1941, Bose went to Russia from Calcutta via Afghanistan. He tried to secure support for an armed insurrection in India. Instead of paying attention on Bose had to say Russia sent him to Berlin where he started having discussions with the Foreign and Propaganda Ministries. For the next six months, Bose and his assistants led an intensive recruiting campaign amongst Indian POWs (prisoners of war).

The plan that had failed during first world war was reopened by the Indian Independence League .It was out in two phases: firstly formation and subsequent disbandment of Indian National Army under Capt. Mohan Singh Deb and secondly formation of Arzi Hukumat-e-Azad Hind under Subhash Chandra Bose and reformation of the INA as its army.

Consequently in January 1942, the propaganda ministry announced formation of the "Indian National Army"(Jai Hind) in Berlin. At the end of July 1942, three hundred volunteers were issued with German Army Uniforms bearing a badge on right arm showing a leaping tiger superimposed on Indian tricolour, surrounded by the legend "Freies Indien". The men were then officially designated the "Free Indian Legion". In May 1943, the Indian Legion was moved to garrison duties on the Dutch North Sea coast where they were mainly used for the construction of coastal defenses. Following this, they were moved to France. Following the Allied Landings at Normandy, and the rapid advance, the Indian Legion was moved back to Germany in August 1944.

The Japanese Government extensively supported the INA. Japanese though never sought to invade India, the idea that a more friendly government would control their western boundary was attractive to them.

It would also have been reconciliatory with the idea that Japanese expansion into Asia was part of an effort to support Asian government of Asia, and forming the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.

Revival:
17th Febuary 1942-two days after the fall of Singapore, around 45,000 Indian prisoners of war were gathered at Farrer Park where they were surrendered to Japanese troops. The initial dreads of mistreatment by Japanese troops made them pledge their support for India`s Independence. Earlier on, the Japanese Military Administration had encouraged various Indian nationalist groups in East Asia to form an anti-British alliance. These Indian nationalist groups then established the Indian Independence League (IIL), with its headquarters in Singapore. At the same time, the IIL looked after the welfare of Indian communities in East Asia.

The First INA:
In early March 1942, it had been proposed by Japanese advisors that INA become the military arm of IIL, with Rash Behari Bose as the leader. This was announced in June 1942 in Bangkok. In September 1942 the formation of Indian National Army was announced, with Capt. Mohan Singh, 1/14th Regiment, declared the leader. In a public meeting, Singh called upon the Indians to form an army free to India. Almost 20,000 soldiers immediately came forward to join to what was known as Indian National Army. In December, Mohan Singh and other INA leaders ordered the INA to disband after severe disagreements with the Japanese. Mohan Singh was subsequently arrested by Japanese and exiled to Pulau Ubin.

Between December 1942 and February 1943, Rash Behari Bose tried but failed to keep the IIL and INA going. Thousands of INA soldiers returned to the status of POWs again and most of the IIL leaders resigned. The movement was seen to be doomed to failure. In a series of meetings between the INA leaders and the Japanese in 1943, it was decided to cede the leadership of the IIL and the INA to Subhash Chandra Bose. Bose had, at the start of the war in Europe, escaped from house arrest to make his way to Germany, reaching Berlin on 2 April 1941. In Germany he convinced Hitler, in a series of conferences, to support the cause of Indian Independence, forming the Free India Legion and the Azad Hind Radio. By early 1943, Bose had turned his attention to Southeast Asia. With its large overseas Indian population, it was recognised that the region was fertile ground for establishing an anti-colonial force to fight the Raj.

Rise of Second INA:
In January 1943, the Japanese invited Bose to lead the Indian nationalist movement in East Asia. He accepted and left Germany on 8 February. After a three-month journey by submarine, and a short stop in Singapore, he reached Tokyo on 11 May 1943, where he made a number of radio broadcasts to the Indian communities, exhorting them to join in the fight for India`s Independence. His appeal not only re-energised the fledgling INA, which previously comprised mainly POWs, his appeals also touched a chord with the Indian expatriates in South Asia as local civilians- ranging from barristers to plantation workers - had no military experience joined the INA, doubled its troop strength.

. The clarion call of the INA was "Jai Hind" (Victory to India) and "Give me blood and I will give you freedom".

Japanese Army assigned to advising the Indian Army were officers Hideo Iwakuro and Major-General Isoda.

Provisional government of Azad Hind Fauj:
After taking over the charge of Indian Independence League from Rash Behari Bose on July 4 he promised the people that he would open second war of independence and set up a Provisonal Government of Free India uder whose banner three million indians of South-East Asia would fight the enemy. On 8 August 1943 Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose assumed office as the Supreme Commander of Azad Hind Fauj.

It was founded on October 21, 1943,the government was inspired along the concepts of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. The government of Azad Hind had its own currency, court and civil code, and in the eyes of many Indians its existence gave a greater legitimacy to the independence struggle against the British. However, while it possessed all the nominal requisites of a legitimate government, it lacked large and definite areas of sovereign territory until the government assumed control of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from Japan in 1943 and the occupation of parts of Manipur and Nagaland. Throughout its existence, it remained heavily dependent on Japanese support

Women Regiment:
"… I want … a unit of brave Indian women to form a death-defying Regiment who will wield the sword which Rani of Jhansi wielded in India`s First War of Independence in 1857."
-Subhas Chandra Bose said in his speech on 9 July 1943.

Among the masses attending Bose`s rally on 9 July was Dr. Lakshmi, who responded immediately to his appeal to form a Women`s Regiment. She visited many families to persuade the women to join the INA. Many were reluctant because they firmly believed that the traditional role of a woman was to be at home. However, she managed to gather 20 enthusiastic girls who were willing to break those traditional barriers. The girls presented the guard-of-honour to Bose. He was impressed and invited Dr. Lakshmi to lead the Women`s Regiment.

On 12 July 1943, Bose announced the formation of the Women`s Regiment, naming it "Rani of Jhansi Regiment", after the Rani (Queen in Hindi) Lakshimbai (1835-1858) who rose in rebellion against the British during the 1857 Mutiny.

Chalo Delhi:
Netaji was determined to recapture the spirit of 1857 and to lead a victorious army into Delhi.

"Delhi Chalo" was the slogan he gave his men and began to raise funds and enlarge his army even putting together the all women unit. In May 1942, Burma fell to Japanese. British were afraid that Japanese aided by Indian National Army would invade India from the east. Bose`s slogan - Dilli Chalo (Let us go to Delhi) - had struck fear in the hearts of British.

Trials:
The Red Fort Trial: At the conclusion of the war, the government of British India brought some of the captured INA soldiers to trial on treason charges. The prisoners would potentially face the death penalty, life imprisonment or a fine as punishment if found guilty. After the war, three officers of the I.N.A., General Shah Nawaz Khan, Colonel Prem Sehgal and Colonel Gurbux Singh Dhillon were put to trial at the Red Fort in Delhi for "waging war against the King Emperor", i.e. the British sovereign. The three defendants were defended by Jawaharlal Nehru, Bhulabhai Desai and others based on the defence that they should be treated as prisoners of war as they were not paid merceneraries but bona fide soldiers of a legal government, the Provisional Government of Free India, "however misinformed or otherwise they had been in their notion of patriotic duty towards their country" and as such they recognized the free Indian state as their sovereign and not the British sovereign.

The Indian National Congress and the Muslim League both made the release of the three defendants an important political issue during the agitation for independence of 1945-6. Beyond the on-going campaigns of noncooperation and nonviolent protest, this spread to include mutinies and wavering support within the British Indian Army. This movement marked the last major campaign in which the forces of the Congress and the Muslim League aligned together; the Congress tricolor and the green flag of the League were flown together at protests. In spite of this aggressive and widespread opposition, the court martial was carried out, and all three defendants were sentenced to deportation for life. This sentence, however, was never carried out, as the immense public pressure of the demonstrations forced Claude Auchinleck, Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, to release all three defendants. Most of the I.N.A. soldiers were set free after cashiering and forfeiture of pay and allowance.- On the recommendation of Lord Mountbatten, and agreed by Nehru, as a precondition for Independence the I.N.A. soldiers were not reinducted into the Indian Army.