Narendra Modi is renaming the islands in honour of Nazi ally Subhash Chander Bose

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His decision is likely to rankle with plenty of people in the UK, which still gives India £100million in aid annually, despite the fact Mr Modi’s regime last month launched 31 satellites into space and is planning missions to the Moon and Mars. During a visit to the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago in the Bay of Bengal at the weekend, Mr Modi, leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) party, said he would be renaming Ross, Neil and Havelock Islands – originally commemorating various colonial figures – after Subhash Chander Bose, a radical Hindu nationalist much like himself. Mr Bose is famous for building a rebel army with the help of the Nazis, as well as the Japanese Empire, to battle British rule in the sub-continent.



Entitled the Free India Army, it was beaten while fighting alongside the Japanese as they advanced from the country then known as Burma (now Myanmar) into north-eastern India.

Mr Bose then disappeared in 1945, two years before India won its independence.



In accordance with Mr Modi’s decision, Ross Island, previously named after marine surveyor Daniel Ross, will now be known as Subhash Chander Bose Dweep, with deep meaning island. Meanwhile Neil Island, named after Brigadier general James Neill, becomes Shaeed or Martyr Dweep, which Havelock Island, named after Victorian general Sir Henry Havelock, who defeated a rebellion by Indian soldiers in 1857, will from now on be called Swaraj or Independent Island. During his speech Mr Modi made no reference to Mr Bose’s Nazi links, simply saying: “When it comes to heroes of the freedom struggle, we take the name of Bose with pride and that is why the government has issued a notification changing the islands names.”

Subhash Chander Bose pictured meeting Nazi leader Adolf Hitler

He insisted renaming the islands was simply a way of honouring a demand by Mr Bose made precisely 75 years before on December 30, 1943, during a visit to the Andaman islands after they were captured by the Japanese.



His move had angered opposition groups within his own country, which claim the BJP is “seeking revenge on India’s history” as well as trying to push their nationalist agenda. Mr Modi, who has been Prime Minister since 2014, is facing a difficult year, having lost power in three states after elections in December which saw the opposition Congress party and allies make significant gains. A general election is scheduled for May, with no guarantees that he will retain power.

The island was previously named after British general Sir Henry Havelock

However, Mr Modi, 69, was in bullish mood as he announced the name changes, insisting: "No reason for morale down. We are confident and are moving ahead.



“In 2019, if there is one party which the country trusts and is connected with the people, it is the BJP.” The BJP has already renamed a number of places with British and Muslim connections. In October, his party launched a campaign to rename the British colonial government’s former summer capital of Simla in the Himalayas Shyamala, after the Hindu goddess of the same name – although the plans have now been put on ice after widespread protests.

Meanwhile, Allahabad, a city in Uttar Pradesh, has been renamed Prayagraj, which Hindu folklore states is the place where Hindu god Brahma made his first sacrifice after creating the world. Sharad Yadav of the National Democratic Party said BJP was trying to deflect attention from India’s underwhelming economic performance during Mr Modi’s tenure. He said: “It is a feeble attempt by the BJP to try and hide its failures.” Hitler-related memorabilia is popular in India, with Express.co.uk reporting in 2015 that his face and name adorns cafes, comics and even a brand of ice cream.

A clothes shop in India named after the former Nazi leader