- Next phase of INA began with the coming of Subhas Chandra Bose in 1943. He had left Congress and formed the Forward Bloc in 1940. In search of allies for India’s independence, he travelled to Russia in 1941.
- He then went to Germany and met Hitler under the pseudo-name, Orlando Mazzotta. With the help of Hitler, the ‘Freedom Army’ (Mukti Sena) was formed which consisted of all the prisoners of war of Indian origin captured by Germany and Italy.
- Dresden, Germany was made the office of the Freedom Army. Bose came to be called ‘Netaji’ by the people of Germany. He gave the famous slogan, ‘Jai Hind’ from the Free India Centre, Germany.
- He began regular broadcasts from Berlin radio in January 1942, which enthused Indians. In early 1943, he left Germany and reached Japan.
- He finally reached Singapore in 1943. Subhash Bose became Supreme Commander of the INA.
- In Singapore, with the assistance of Rashbehari Bose and others, he set up a provisional Indian government with headquarters at Rangoon and Singapore. It also had a women’s regiment named after Rani Jhansi.
- The INA headquarters was shifted to Rangoon (in Burma) in 1944, and the army recruits were to march from there with the war cry “Chalo Delhi!” on their lips.
- In 1944, Subhas Bose addressed Mahatma Gandhi as ‘Father of Nation’—from Azad Hind Radio (first person to call Gandhi, ‘Father of Nation’). He asked for Gandhi’s blessings for “India’s last war of independence.”
- INA died with the surrender of Japan in World War II.
