PM Modi meets INA veteran in Malaysia

In Malaysia,Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj) veteran Jeyaraj Raja Rao in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday February 8,2026 and conveyed the gratitude of all Indians for INA’s extraordinary courage, legacy, and sacrifice. “We remain forever indebted to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the brave women and men of the INA, whose valour helped shape India’s destiny,” PM Modi said in a post on social media after the meeting.  Modi said it was "very special" to meet INA veteran Rao.  Prime Minister Modi "conveyed the gratitude of all Indians for INA’s extraordinary courage, legacy, and sacrifice," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. In September 1943, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, in a rousing address to thousands of followers, inspired several youths to join the cause of Indian independence, from Selangor Padang (Dataran Merdeka or Independence Square) in Kuala Lumpur.
Providing historical context, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose assumed leadership of the Indian National Army in Southeast Asia in 1943 and revitalised the force after his arrival from Germany. Operating from bases in Singapore and Malaya, now Malaysia, he reorganised and expanded the INA by mobilising Indian civilians and prisoners of war captured during World War II. On October 21, 1943, Bose announced the formation of the Provisional Government of Azad Hind, which held symbolic significance in India's independence movement.