General Harbaksh Singh (1913–1999) was a three-star senior general in the Indian Army. In this interview extract, Singh talks about his interactions and relationship with Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army (INA). He recalls visiting incarcerated INA soldiers and feeling sympathetic towards them because they had helped him when he was a prisoner of war in Malaya (today Malaysia) in 1942. He also explains why he refused to give evidence against them during the INA trials. 

What was the Indian National Army?

The INA was a military organisation that fought for Indian independence from 1942 to 1946. It was based in Japanese-occupied Singapore and led by Subhas Chandra Bose. It consisted of former British Indian Army soldiers, prisoners of war and civilian volunteers – all Indian nationals resident in Malaya and Burma (now Myanmar).

What were the INA trials?

Toward the end of World War Two, a number of INA soldiers were captured by the British. Between 1945 and 1946 they were court-martialled for treason. In the first trial, three soldiers were sentenced to deportation for life. The deportations were never carried out as there was huge public opposition and support for the defendants. The depth of popular resentment about the issue led to the charges being dropped in the second trial.

CHARLES ALLEN:

Was there any bitterness between these two groups, those who joined the INA and those who had refused to join the INA?

HARBAKSH SINGH:

Well it might have been in the case of certain officers. But as far as I am concerned, I had the best of relations with them. And in fact I was obliged to them in many ways for having helped us as prisoners of war. And as a result I felt bound to go and see them when they were brought to Delhi and confined in the Red Fort, at the risk of even being suspected. In fact, it did happen that I was allowed ingress by a British guard into their enclosure. And while I was happily chatting away with my friends and asking them how I could help them, in the way of magazines, fruit or anything like that from outside, in the same way that they had helped me when I was there in a prisoner of war camp, in Malaya. The cat was out of the bag and they realised that I was not supposed to be in this place, and of course one Colonel who was in charge of the Red Fort came over and questioned me and he took me away in the car and I was detained for about 4 hours. And they took my statement as to “Why was I sympathetic to the INA”, and “What did I have to do with them”, “Why did I come”, and all that sort of thing and I [00:01:33 inaudible] and I said they helped me when I was a prisoner of war and I felt duty bound to at least come and see them, it was the least I could do.

CHARLES ALLEN:

When the INA officers were put on trial, what were you feelings?

HARBAKSH SINGH:

I certainly didn’t like it. You know, I was one of those who felt although they may have been misguided, although they may have done this for personal motives, for getting out of trouble, having an easier time… but as an Indian naturally I felt, particularly at that stage of the war, that India was fighting tooth and nail for independence and self-rule, that to tie them down to the old army act and try them for insurrection, if not incorrect, was certainly not a wise thing to do. As it happened in fact, it only highlighted the inequities that the Indian army suffered under the British. So in fact, at one stage I was asked to appear as evidence against these INA officers and I point blank refused, I said no I would not do so because what do I know about them? I have been a prisoner of war on their soil. So I was most certainly sympathetic to these soldiers because they had been.