Royal Indian Navy revolt, 1946
80th Anniversary in 2026
Feb 18, 2026 marks the 80th anniversary of the 1946 Royal Indian Navy Revolt, a pivotal anti-colonial uprising during India's final phase of freedom struggle.
5 days revolt
It took place between [!date] Feb. 18 and Feb. 23, a 5-day armed uprising by the naval ratings against the British colonial rule, beginning in Bombay and spreading nationwide. Ratings are junior enlisted sailors who are below the military rank of a warrant officer.
Causes of the revolt include:
- Poor service conditions
- Low wages
- Inferior food
- Overcrowding
- Discriminatory treatment
- Never given proper fair compensation for being a part of World War 2 and other battles for the British Crown
- The economic causes include rising prices and unemployment and wartime discontent.
Immediate trigger
[!danger] Immediate trigger was the appointment of Commander Arthur Frederick King at HMIS Talwar and abusive remarks triggering a hunger strike.
Anti colonial sentiments among sailors
The Quit India Movement of 1942 and the Indian National Army Trials 1945 inspired the anti-colonial sentiments among the sailors.
Timeline of the event:
- The outbreak at HMIS Talwar at Bombay on February 18, 1946. Hunger strike protesting food quality and discrimination. The slogan adopted was "No Food No Work".
- Formation of Naval Central Strike Committee, with leaders such as M S Khan, B C Dutt, and Madan Singh.
- The uprising spread to 78 ships and 20 establishments, involving nearly 20,000 ratings, including Karachi, Kolkata, and Cochin. Street battles erupted in Bombay's mill streets, where British forces used heavy firepower, killing around 200 civilians.
- Hindu-Muslim solidarity was visible as Congress, Muslim League, and Communist flags were jointly displayed during the revolt.
Lack of Political support
[!bug] Mahatma Gandhi condemned the Mutiny as ill-timed and lacking disciplined political guidance, but Congress and Muslim League leaders urged restraint to protect the constitutional negotiations.
Surrender of Ratings on Feb 23, 1946
With limited political backing, the Naval Ratings surrendered on February 23, 1946, bringing the revolt to an abrupt end.
