The year was 1941, the peak of World War II; two unlikely Indian men reached Berlin, one, Subhash Chandra Bose, a fugitive of the British Raj in India and the other was an unassuming Hindu Pathan, Bhagat Ram Talwar. where one of these men had a moment of epiphany. Bose was in Germany to ask for the Nazi help in Indian Independence Movement against the British. He introduced Talwar to German diplomats as his Indian agent, a fortunate turn of events for Talwar, who capitalized on the opportunity to become a spy for the Axis powers.
By the end of the war, the Germans had paid Talwar £2.5 million (in today’s value) and awarded him the Iron Cross, unaware he was deceiving them. A communist at heart, he contacted the Soviets after Germany invaded the USSR, becoming a triple agent. Later, when the Soviets collaborated with Britain’s SOE, Talwar also conducted covert missions for Britain, making him the only spy shared by the Russians.
From the gardens of the Viceroy’s Palace in Delhi, Talwar broadcasted fictitious intelligence to German headquarters in Berlin. As Germany coordinated with Italy and Japan, he fed false information to them as well. By 1945, he had spied for Britain, Russia, Germany, Italy, and Japan—though his true allegiance was to India and its Communist Party, making him a rare quintuple agent in modern history.
But as we talk about the intelligence operations in the history of the West, especially the World Wars, his name remains forgotten; and many others like him, i.e., Indians.
World War II was a theatre of intelligence, deception, and espionage. While much has been written about the grand battles and the major players, the role of Indian spies during the war remains largely overshadowed. These operatives worked for different sides, the British, the Axis powers, and Bose’s Indian National Army (INA), each with their own motives and consequences. Their contributions were absolutely critical in shaping wartime strategies and post-war geopolitics.
India’s Strategic Importance in World War II
India was a crucial asset for the British Empire during World War II. Its geographical position made it a gateway to the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and its vast resources were essential for the Allied war effort. Not to mention the 2.5 million Indian soldiers that participated in the WWII on behalf of the British.
The subcontinent also became a hotbed of espionage, with British intelligence services keeping a close watch on anti-colonial movements, Axis operatives attempting to stir unrest, and the INA working towards India’s independence in collaboration with the Nazis and other Axis powers.
India’s geographic location made it a battleground for rival spy networks from Britain, Germany, Japan, and the Soviet Union, as all sought to control the flow of information and influence events in South and Southeast Asia.
Spies Working for the British: Defending the Empire
India was the centre of British intelligence activities in Asia, with the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Special Operations Executive (SOE) running covert missions against Axis powers. British agents in India monitored Japanese movements in Burma, pro-Axis activities in Afghanistan, and potential uprisings within India.
The Intelligence Bureau and British Indian Agents
The British Intelligence Bureau in India played a crucial role in counter-espionage. It was responsible for monitoring Axis activities, suppressing revolutionary movements, and maintaining the security of British military operations. Many Indian operatives worked for the IB and the Special Operations Executive (SOE), gathering intelligence on Japanese and German activities.
One notable case was that of Bhagat Ram Talwar, as discussed at the beginning of the article. An Indian double agent who masterfully played both the British and the Axis.
MI5 and the Indian Agents in Europe
During World War II, MI5 actively used Indian agents in Europe to counter Nazi influence, monitor pro-Axis Indian nationalists, and gather intelligence. Their main focus was tracking Bose, who sought Axis support for Indian independence. MI5 infiltrated pro-German Indian networks to disrupt recruitment efforts for the Azad Hind Fauj.
Indian students and intellectuals in London and Paris were recruited to spy on Bose’s supporters, while some agents worked with the French Resistance to gather intelligence on Nazi movements. MI5 also placed double agents of Indian origin within German and Italian intelligence circles, using them to feed false information and mislead Axis planners.
Indian POWs, initially recruited by Germany, secretly passed intelligence to MI5, helping track German troop movements. MI5 also used Indian agents in Operation Bodyguard, a deception campaign that misled the Axis about Allied strategies, especially before D-Day.
By using Indian spies, MI5 disrupted Axis propaganda, weakened Bose’s influence, and ensured Britain maintained control over its colonial assets. Indian agents played a crucial role in European espionage, proving vital to British intelligence operations during the war.
Operation Charlie
Indian spies working for the British undertook many important missions that helped shape the war effort. Operation Charlie was a covert British intelligence operation during World War II, aimed at infiltrating and sabotaging Nazi activities in India. It was part of a broader series of efforts to curb Axis influence in the Indian subcontinent and prevent collaboration between Indian nationalists and the Axis powers, particularly Nazi Germany and Japan.
The operation was led by the Special Operations Executive (SOE), a British secret service created to carry out espionage, sabotage, and subversion in occupied territories. Indian agents and British personnel were inserted into areas of importance to gather intelligence, conduct sabotage missions, and promote unrest within the pro-Axis movements in India.
One of the main goals of Operation Charlie was to intercept and disrupt communication between Axis powers and Indian nationalist groups. Operation Charlie also involved propaganda campaigns to discourage support for Bose and to undermine the influence of the Japanese and Germans.
Though not as famous as other wartime operations, Operation Charlie contributed to the broader Allied efforts to maintain control over India and prevent Axis penetration in the region.
Another was the effort to track INA movements in Burma and sabotage supply lines that the Japanese relied on. These missions, often dangerous and requiring deep cover, played a crucial role in the eventual defeat of Axis ambitions in India.
The Role of Subhas Chandra Bose and the Free India Centre
Bose sought support from Axis powers to liberate India from British rule. In Berlin, he established the Free India Centre, which worked closely with German intelligence (Abwehr). Indian agents in Europe, particularly those recruited from Indian prisoners of war, were trained in espionage and sabotage to be deployed against British forces.
One of the most remarkable stories was that of Abid Hasan Safrani, Bose’s close associate, who helped coordinate Axis intelligence activities in Europe and Southeast Asia. The Japanese, recognising the strategic advantage of an Indian revolution, collaborated with Bose’s INA and set up espionage networks in British-controlled territories.
Japanese Intelligence and Indian Spies in Southeast Asia
The Japanese intelligence agency, the Kempeitai, recruited Indian spies to infiltrate British India. Many of these operatives were former British Indian Army soldiers captured during the fall of Singapore and Burma. They were trained in espionage, guerrilla warfare, and sabotage, with the mission of gathering intelligence and inciting rebellion within India.
Mohammad Zaman Kiani, an INA officer played an important role in Japanese-Indian intelligence cooperation. He worked with British intelligence, gathering information on German and Japanese activities in India. Kiani was also connected to the INA and supported the Indian independence movement. After the war, he contributed to the development of Pakistan’s intelligence services, including Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). These spies, often inserted through the porous Burmese border, provided critical intelligence on British troop movements, supply chains, and strategic installations.
Comparison with German Espionage Tactics
While Japan focused on training Indian operatives for sabotage missions within the subcontinent, German intelligence had a different approach. The Abwehr sought to recruit Indians in Europe, often leveraging anti-British sentiment. Unlike the Japanese, who integrated INA spies into their broader military strategies, the Germans focused more on psychological warfare and propaganda aimed at weakening British morale.
The INA’s Espionage Operations
The INA, under Bose’s leadership, realised that intelligence was as crucial as military strength. INA intelligence operatives infiltrated British Indian Army units, spreading propaganda and attempting to sway Indian soldiers to defect and also succeeded to an extent.
The Bahadur Group, a special espionage unit of the INA, was deployed behind enemy lines to conduct reconnaissance, sabotage British supply routes, and communicate intelligence to the Japanese and INA leadership. Their effectiveness, however, was limited due to British counterintelligence efforts and the vast network of informants working for the Empire.
The Story of Noor Inayat Khan
One of the most fascinating and tragic stories of Indian espionage in WWII is that of Noor Inayat Khan. Born to an Indian father and an American mother, she was recruited by the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) as a wireless operator in occupied France.
Despite her pacifist upbringing, Noor volunteered for dangerous assignments, transmitting vital intelligence under Nazi surveillance. Betrayed and captured by the Gestapo, she was tortured but never revealed any secrets. She was executed at Dachau in 1944, and posthumously awarded the George Cross, Britain’s highest civilian honour for bravery.
The Forgotten Indian Heroes of World War II
The stories of India’s wartime spies are limitless. Whether working for the Allies or the Axis, these individuals risked their lives in the shadows, influencing the course of the war in ways that history books rarely acknowledge.
The legacy of Indian spies during World War II is complex, as many faced a delicate balancing act between resisting British colonial rule and avoiding support for the fascist and Nazi regimes. For many Indian nationalists, the Second World War presented an opportunity to challenge British imperialism. Bose’s Indian National Army (INA) and intelligence network actively worked with Axis forces, hoping to turn the war to India’s advantage.
However, this collaboration raised ethical dilemmas. Many Indians were deeply opposed to the oppressive ideologies of fascism and Nazism, particularly after witnessing the brutalities of these regimes, including their racist policies.
For many spies working for the British, their loyalty was not to imperial rule but to the broader cause of Indian independence. These individuals, while covertly aiding the British during the war, had no intention of supporting fascist or Nazi ideologies.
This dual struggle, marked by pragmatism and moral conflict, resulted in a nuanced legacy. Indian spies navigated complex allegiances, fighting for independence, yet cautious of the moral implications of working with totalitarian regimes. Their actions reflected the larger ethical tensions within the Indian freedom struggle during WWII.
