Invoking Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan on Friday said the Indian National Army (INA) had awakened national consciousness and was an “expression of unity in diversity” as the organisation did not concentrate on region, caste, religion or gender. “He was not just a freedom fighter but a military leader who understood power politics, alliance-building and logistics,” the CDS said, adding that the INA symbolised national unity and bore extraordinary losses, challenging colonial narratives written by the British. India, he said, continued to grapple with a colonial mindset and cognitive colonialism even decades after Independence. He explained that while visible symbols suchas colours and ranks had largely been Indianised, the deeper challenge lay in changing mindsets. As global power centres multiply and instability rises, Netaji’s ideas offer a blueprint for how India should think, act and defend its interests, Chauhan said.

Source: The Telegraph January 24, 2026 00:12 UTC