The Coasts of Andaman and Subhash Chandra Bose

Hello friends, India commemorates Subhash Chandra Bose on his 125th birth anniversary. The role of Bose in the Indian National movement gets explored through pages of history. However, the occupation of Andaman and Nicobar islands by the Provisional Government of Azad Hind commanded by him remains in dim light. This move had a significant impact on India's foreign policy choices after Indian independence.

(Source- newsminutes.com)

Andaman and Nicobar islands were occupied by the British in the 1780s from Denmark. Its tropical climate, torrential rains, dense forests made it an ideal place for British where they can vaporize feelings of patriotism and freedom from Indian revolutionaries by horribly punishing them. The infamous Cellular jail built exclusively for this purpose in Port Blair.

Years went by like this. Then World War II started. Japanese were heavy on the British and Allies in the Pacific. GREAT Britain lost Malaya and Singapore to Japan in 1942. Japanese were in the high spirits when they captured Port Blair without a fight on 23rd March,1942 . What British were doing? They fled to mainland India leaving 27,000 population to face the wrath of the Japanese. 

Pause. Meanwhile, Subhash Chandra Bose mobilized Indian National Army or Azad Hind Fauz. Japanese decided to help it to "free India from Britain." Provisional Government of Azad Hind was established on 21st October 1943. Subhas Bose was head of it. It immediately declared war on the Allies(Britain and America).

Japanese Prime Minister General Tojo announced that Andaman and Nicobar Islands would be handed over to this Government. Three weeks after Bose announced from Singapore that Andman and Nicobar would be rechristened as Shaheed Dweep and Swarajya Dweep respectively. Shaheed signified the martyrdom of many revolutionaries in Cellular Jail. Swarajya denoted freedom to India.

Bose arrived at Port Blair on 29th December 1943 for a three-day visit. Tricolour was unfurled on Gymkhana ground (today, Netaji stadium) in Port Blair This visit marked that Azad Hind Government was not Government in exile. It was Sovereign and Independent. In the book, His majesty's Opponent, Historian Sugata Bose remarked that the visit of Bose to Cellular Jail to pay tributes to revolutionaries was like freeing up Bastille in French Revolution.

Subhash Bose at Cellular jail.
(Source- Tribuneindia.com)

However, this control of the Azad Hind Government was only symbolic. Real strings of power were in the hands of the Japanese which were increasingly adamant and reluctant to give powers to the Azad Hind Administration.

Japanese were hated by locals because of horrible atrocities committed by the Japanese army on the local population of islands. When this was conveyed to Azad Hind Government, nothing much happened to improve it and people started resenting Bose as well.

For the next one and a half years, the Islands were in control of the Japanese. And allies defeated them in 1945. Bose died in 1944 in-plane accident in Taiwan. The glorious chapter of Azad Hind Government and INA ended here.

The significance of this history can be thought of in two ways. Firstly, as national pride, Andaman and Nicobar were perhaps the first territory in India which essentially have an administration of Indians. At least, symbolically. Therefore, the role of Subhash Chandra Bose needs to be commemorated for this.

However, what if Allied powers hadn't defeated Japan? Although history doesn't have a place for if and but, it appears clear that Japan would not have left control of that easily. The allied victory brought back Andaman and Nicobar to British India and eventually in independent India.

location of Nicobar Islands

The very thought of invading British militarily with the help of Axis powers especially Japan had been a courageous one. Subhash Chandra Bose deserves credit for that. However, the very powers which he thought can help India to get its freedom were not free from the thought of imperialism and occupying foreign territories.

The strategic policy regarding the Indian Ocean and Indo -Pacific is incomplete without Andaman and Nicobar islands. Memories of Japanese occupation and Azad Hind Government of Subhash Chandra Bose lie at the heart of these beautiful jewels. As winds blow over the ocean, time passes. And it's important to commemorate these memories with passing time to learn and inspire from them.

The Geography of Opportunity for India

Hello friends, much water has been flown after the unfortunate Galwan clashes. India - China stalemate has not been resolved yet. USA will see a new president in the chair in the new year. In this context, all world capitals are looking towards one entity- the Indian ocean.

Let's try to analyze what are the geographical and geographical implications of the Indian ocean for India!

The Indian Ocean is the only ocean in the world to be named after a nation. Its geographical extent starts from East Africa to South East Asia, up to Antarctica in the south. It’s the third-largest ocean among the five. It shares 25% of total landmass on the earth with its littoral countries (those who share a maritime boundary with the Indian ocean).  Two third of the World’s oil trade, half of the bulk cargo, and half of the container traffic pass through the Indian ocean.

Indian Ocean Location
(Source- Googleusercontent.com)

                

It becomes natural for India to have huge stakes in the Indian ocean. K.M.Pannikar , an eminent Indian diplomat in quoted 1940s, “while to other countries the Indian Ocean is only one of the important oceanic areas, to India it is a vital sea. Her lifelines are concentrated in that area, her freedom is dependent on the freedom of that water surface. India’s location is central to the eastern and western stretches of the ocean. It also extends to the South with its coastline, making it an asset for India’s maritime operations in the region.

Another two key strategic assets for India are it's two islands, Lakshadweep on the western flank and Andaman and Nicobar in the east. An Indian Naval station, INS DWEEPRAKSHAK is located on Lakshadweep. Andaman and Nicobar islands have a tri-service command along with naval air force station INS BAAZ. The islands face to South East. Thus they form the backbone to secure Indian interests in the straits of Malacca, one of the most important chokepoints in the region.

Andaman and Nicobar Location

                                                           (source- idsa.com)

Along with location, there is another important factor, Oil. India imports 80% of its oil requirements. Most trade takes place through vital Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOCs) in the Indian ocean. Security of these SLOCs has been a prime concern for India as the ocean has suffered from piracy. Chokepoint security like Gulf of Eden, Strait of Hormuz, straits of Malacca, etc has been another vital concern.

India shredded its “I am alone” approach in Indian Ocean in the 1990s with changing international atmosphere and its increasing trade as its New Economic policy. It has been engaged with all major stakeholders in the region for ‘ peace and security in the region.’ Platforms like the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) needs to be strengthened to ensure this. India has carried out developmental diplomacy with small island nations like Mauritius, Syeceels. It has also helped in disasters like the 2004 Tsunami in Indonesia. Along with this, the Indian Navy’s professionalism and formidable capabilities has built India’s image as a net security provider in the region.

India have moved into closer cooperation with the USA, Japan, and Australia as China had been trying to increase its sphere of influence in the region. Its new initiatives like SAGARMALA, SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region ) are aimed to gain an edge over China in the region, especially in islands like Mauritius, Seychelles, etc. ‘Indo- Pacific’ as one politico-military entity and Quad are also evolving on these lines. Nirupama Rao quoted in 2012 “India and the Indian Ocean are inseparable. India’s location is its destiny.” 

(Indian Ocean view -source-gettyimages)

Thus, the Indian ocean provides a geography of opportunity to India to protect and promote its interests in the region in the near as well as distant future. 

Let's discuss the new construct- Indo-Pacific in shaping this future in the next article.

References-

The Indian Ocean- an essay by David Scott (Oxford handbook for Foreign Policy of India)

India (Re)discovers the Indian Ocean- Manoj Joshi, ORF 

Strategic Importance of Andaman and Nicobar- Sujay Chinoy, IDSA