Why did Britishers leave India ?

Why did  Britishers  withdraw  from  India  ? 

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Introduction 

The national security adviser claimed other day that  India  got independence because of the role  of  Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and  INA. This is simplification of our freedom struggle that was  waged by lakhs of  freedom fighters  incessantly for 90 years.  Thousands of people got  killed  , butchered and  maimed by the British imperialists. A deeper  analysis  is warranted as to  why  Britishers  left India  ? 

The withdrawal of the British from India in 1947 was not an isolated event but the culmination of internal pressures, external geopolitical shifts, and the systematic erosion of the pillars of colonial governance. Following factors may be ascribed to  : -

I. The Surge of  Nationalism

The most potent internal factor was the rise of a structured and mass-based nationalist movement.

 * Awakening and Early Phase: Influenced by 19th-century social reformers like Raja Rammohan Ray, Swami Vivekananda, and Jyotiba Phule, a sense of "Rashtrabodh" (national consciousness) was ignited .The formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885 provided an all-India character to this sentiment .

 * The Gandhian Era: The transition from the "Protest, Prayer, and Petition" phase of the Moderates to the mass movements led by Mahatma Gandhi changed the nature of the struggle. Movements like the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920), Civil Disobedience (1930), and Quit India (1942) transformed nationalism into a household sentiment, making India ungovernable for the British .

 * Erosion of Colonial Authority: By the 1940s, the "Quit India" spirit had reached such depths that British officials found it nearly impossible to collect taxes or enforce law, as common citizens were now willing to face the utmost sacrifices for "Swaraj" .

II. The Crisis of Colonial Instruments

The British Raj rested on three pillars: the Civil Services, the Police, and the Army. By 1947, all three had weakened.

 * Indianization of Services: Post-1919, the bureaucracy saw a significant influx of Indians. By 1947, over half of the District Magistrates and SPs were Indians, whose loyalties were increasingly leaning toward the nationalist cause rather than the Crown.

 * The Military Blow: The trials of the Indian National Army (INA) officers at the Red Fort served as a catalyst, shifting the loyalty of the Indian soldiers within the British Indian Army . This culminated in the Royal Indian Navy Mutiny of 1946 in Bombay, involving 20,000 sailors  Once the British realized they could no longer rely on the Indian sword to maintain Indian subjection, their exit became inevitable.

III. Impact of World War second and Economic Exhaustion

World War II acted as a catalyst that bankrupt the British Empire both financially and militarily.

 * Economic Ruin: Although Britain emerged victorious, its economy was devastated. The loss of merchant shipping and the depletion of foreign assets made the maintenance of a distant colony like India an unbearable financial burden .

 * Shift in Global Power: The war ended the era of British naval supremacy, replaced by American air and atomic power. Britain’s focus shifted toward the economic reconstruction of Western Europe (Marshall Plan) rather than managing overseas territories .

IV. External Geopolitical Pressures

 * The Role of the USA: Under President Roosevelt, the US pushed for the principle of "Self-Determination" as outlined in the Atlantic Charter . The US also desired access to the vast Indian market, which was then restricted by British imperial preferences .

 * Change in British Leadership: The 1945 UK elections saw the defeat of the imperialist Winston Churchill and the rise of Clement Attlee’s Labour Party. Attlee's government prioritized domestic social welfare and decolonization over maintaining a crumbling empire .

V. The Strategic Nature of the Exit

The British exit was also marked by a strategic "Imperial Interest." The partition of India and the creation of Pakistan were partly intended to maintain a foothold in the region, ensuring Karachi's port facilities and a recruitment base for future interests in the Middle East .

Conclusion

The British did not leave India out of mere benevolence. It was a calculated retreat necessitated by the collapse of their administrative machinery, the rebellion within the armed forces, and a shattered post-war economy. The relentless pressure from the Indian masses, guided by stalwarts like Gandhi,Nehru,  Bose and Patel, ensured that the "Jewel in the Crown" became a liability that the British could no longer afford to hold .

Why Rajendra 1st Chola , not Chatrapati Shivaji, can be called the father of indian Navy ?

Was Chatrapati Shivaji was the father of the modern Navy in india ? 

                                                      The Great Chatrapati Shivaji 

Rajendra 1st Chola (1014 to 1044) was the great warrior . During his reign , the Chola power reached at its zenith.Military conquest reached to the eastern india in so far as his army crossed the Ganga river and defeated the Pala king, Mahipal. In addition to the military prowess, Rajendra Chola also established naval supremacy in the bay of Bengal and South East Asia . Both Pandyan and Chera navies were destroyed, therby establishing Chola supremacy in the eastern and western coast of india.. . During his reign , Bay of Bengal was converted into the Chola lake. Srilanka was subjugated and it remained under Chola rule for the next 50 years. Similarly, his naval expeditions reached to south east Asia . Shri Vijay kingdom and its Sailendra dynasty capitulated. Kadram (Keddah) also surrendered to him. Almost all south east Asian countries had come under his toes. Not only that , he established maritime trade relations with China . A Chola ambassador was stationed at Chinese Court. The strait of Malacca, the gateway to East Asia was completely under his control . To sum up , no indigenous power so much dominated the indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal as the mighty Cholas did in the mediaeval india. The Chola naval power was aggressive. Its main purpose was to establish extensive trade relations with south east Asian countries and China . 

                                               The great Rajendra 1st Chola 

On the other hand , the great Chatrapati Shivaji is said to be the father of modern Navy in india . However, Navy under Shivaji was defensive. He made Navy effective in guarding coastal regions.Navy was supported by various forts on the coastal regions. But his Navy was not strong enough to flush out western powers from deep sea . According to the historian, B K Apte , Navy under Shivaji was no match to the British Navy in the deep sea. It is worth noting that while Shivaji looted twice Surat, the Mughal depot, in 1664 and 1770 , he didn't dare to loot British factory located at Surat . Nor he ever tried to capture Goa , Daman and Diu from the Portuguese who had entrenched themselves since 1509 . Maratha Navy was adept in protecting the coastal regions because of their better knowledge of the coasts and creeks. But in the deep sea , Maratha Navy could not match European powers. During the Peshwa rule , no adequate attention was paid on the advancement of Maratha Navy. That's why, the British could be able to establish their rule over in the 18th century on account of their naval superiority. 

To sum up, While Navy under Rajendra Chola was assertive, conquering large tracts of land in South East Asia and fostering trade relations, Shivaji 's Navy was structured to protect the western coast of India  so that its territorial integrity could  be  safeguarded . Maratha Navy was basically defensive in nature.