PM INTERACTS WITH INA VETERANS IN MALAYSIA, PAYS TRIBUTE TO AZAD HIND FAUJ

New Delhi, Feb 08, 2026 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday interacted with veterans of the Azad Hind Fauj, also known as the Indian National Army (INA), during his two-day official visit to Malaysia, recalling the historic role of the force and its enduring legacy among the Indian community in Southeast Asia.

As part of the interaction, the Prime Minister met INA veteran Jeyaraj Raja Rao, describing the meeting as deeply inspiring. Sharing his thoughts on social media, Prime Minister Modi said that the veteran’s life was marked by immense courage and sacrifice, and that listening to his experiences offered valuable inspiration.

Reflecting on the meeting, Jeyaraj Raja Rao said the interaction was a memorable and fulfilling moment for him. He recalled discussing India’s progress since independence and said he congratulated the Prime Minister on the country’s development in recent years.

During the interaction, Prime Minister Modi paid homage to the Indian National Army and its founder Subhas Chandra Bose, acknowledging the sacrifices made by INA personnel during India’s freedom struggle. He said the nation remains forever indebted to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and the brave men and women of the INA, whose valour played a significant role in shaping India’s destiny.

Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (East) P. Kumaran described the meeting as one of the most memorable moments of the Prime Minister’s visit. He said the interaction with the surviving INA veterans underscored the deep historical connection between India and the Indian diaspora in Southeast Asia.

The interaction followed Prime Minister Modi’s address to the Indian diaspora in Malaysia, where he acknowledged the sacrifices made by people of Indian origin during the freedom movement. He noted that many members of the diaspora, despite having never lived in India, were among the first to join Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army.

The Prime Minister also referred to efforts in Malaysia to honour Netaji’s legacy, including the renaming of the Indian Cultural Centre after Subhas Chandra Bose, and paid tribute to the contributions of organisations such as the Netaji Service Centre and the Netaji Welfare Foundation.

Providing historical context, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose assumed leadership of the Indian National Army in Southeast Asia in 1943 and reorganised the force after arriving from Germany. Operating from bases in Singapore and Malaya, now Malaysia, he mobilised Indian prisoners of war and civilians across the region. On October 21, 1943, Bose announced the formation of the Provisional Government of Azad Hind, a moment of symbolic importance in India’s independence movement.

The INA’s legacy remains closely associated with the Indian diaspora in Malaysia and Singapore, where the organisation was built and sustained. One of its most notable formations, the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, comprised Indian women from Southeast Asia and became a powerful symbol of women’s participation and empowerment in India’s freedom struggle.