The story of India-Indonesia collaboration in the 1940s | Explained
In his speech before the Indonesian Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to India’s support to Indonesian freedom movement and said that India championed Indonesian
In his speech before the Indonesian Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to India’s support to Indonesian freedom movement and said that India championed Indonesian freedom at the United Nations. He further referred to the role of Biju Patnaik, then a civilian aviator and entrepreneur for flying anti-colonial leader Sutan Sjahrir to New Delhi in 1947. India and Indonesia attained freedom within a span of two years but the circumstances that they faced were unique. How Indonesia attained independence Much of the events of India and Indonesia in the early to mid-1940s were related to the World War II. In India, the war was very unpopular and caused huge public distress and led to the Bengal famine of 1943. The nationalist leadership was arrested and sent to prison when the Quit India movement started as a protest for dragging India into the war. In Indonesia, the war quickly led to dislodgement of the Dutch colonial power who were defeated by the imperial Japanese forces who by 1942 had established their authority over most of Indonesia. The Japanese Army tried to bring the Indonesian nationalists to their side and with the help of Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta set up on March 9, 1943 an all inclusive Central Organisation, the POETARA (Peasant Tenega Rajkat – Centre of People’s Power). Though European media often presented the POETARA as a puppet of the Japanese government, Japan promised that self-government would be granted to Indonesia in the near future. With surrender of Japan on August 14, 1945, Indonesian nationalists of the Dutch East Indies led by Soekarno, Hatta and Sutan Sjahrir declared independence on August 17. How did India help Indonesia with its independence? Indonesia declared independence but it was a very fragile situation for the country as the end of the World War II triggered a number of related dynamics that threatened Indonesia’s freedom. After having defeated Hitler’s army in Europe and Africa, British Indian forces were now free of military responsibilities in the western hemisphere and the British government in an opportunistic move decided to send the Indian and Gurkha soldiers of Nepal under British command to quell the nationalists in Indonesia.
The 23rd Indian division of the British Army was sent first and they reached Batavia (later Jakarta) on September 29, 1945. A large number of Indian and Nepali soldiers arrived in Soerabaya on October 25, 1945. According to late Indian diplomat P.R.S. Mani who was attached with the 49th Infantry Division of the British army the Indonesians met the foreign soldiers with “vigilant indifference” and it was obvious from the beginning that the Indonesian nationalists would fight if the British command tried to bring back European colonial rule by using Indian soldiers. “Merdeka” (freedom) and “Azadi ya Kunrezi” (Freedom or bloodshed) were the slogans that were raised everywhere wherever foreigners were spotted. As expected, a major battle broke out after the “irregulars” attacked Indian troops in Soerabaya. Many Indian soldiers perished in the attack and the British command bombed Soerabaya extensively. The ‘Battle of Soerabaya’ was one of the most striking episodes of the World War II that unfortunately pitted Indians and Indonesians against each other. In the meantime in India, the nationalist leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru and others released from prison as the World War II ended and preparation began for the formation of an interim government. There was outrage among people that Indian troops were being used to re-colonise Indonesia and nationalist leaders called for withdrawal of Indian soldiers from Soerabaya. Nehru also called upon the King Tribhuvan of Nepal to bring back Gurkha soldiers from Soerabaya. The interim government took charge in September 1946 and Nehru demanded that British command should withdraw Indians from Indonesia latest by November 1946. Against this backdrop, the Asian Relations Conference was organised in March 1947 by Nehru where the Indonesian delegation led by Sutan Sjahrir attended. P.R.S. Mani in his authoritative account of the Indonesian Revolution (The Story of Indonesian Revolution 1945-1950) said the Indonesian delegation was the “star attraction” at the Asian Relations Conference. What was the rice diplomacy between India and Indonesia? Indonesia’s independence was precarious during the first few years and Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir wanted ‘de jure’ international recognition for his country.
The BriefWire