Published By: Sanchari Das

Why the 1946 Naval Uprising Nearly Derailed British Rule Overnight

How the tricolour flew from the mast and sparked a crisis in the Raj.

It didn't begin with a gunshot. It started with a plate of bad food. In February 1946, sailors of the Royal Indian Navy (RIN) at Bombay's HMIS Talwar refused to eat. Their protest, triggered by racial insults, rotten bread, and watery dal, soon spiralled beyond the kitchen. Nearly 20,000 enlisted sailors from Karachi to Calcutta joined the protest within two days. Ships were seized. Stations defied orders. Flags were raised.

The British, stunned, saw rebellion brewing inside their navy.

Flags of freedom on royal ships

By 20 February, the mutiny had spread like fire across the seas. Rebellious sailors controlled more than 70 ships and shore bases. On their masts flew the Indian tricolour, the red flag of communism, and the green flag of the Muslim League—all hoisted together, defying imperial order.

It was no longer just about bad food or poor pay. The demands were political and bold: release Indian National Army (INA) prisoners, end British rule, and ensure equal treatment for Indian sailors. Slogans rang out from the decks: "Jai Hind!" "Inquilab Zindabad!" Once the proud tools of the Empire, these warships had turned into floating protest sites.

The Streets Rise with the Sea

News of the revolt ignited Bombay. Workers, students, and everyday citizens poured onto the streets. Tram services halted. Railway workers joined in. Post offices downed shutters in sympathy. Thousands marched in solidarity with the naval ratings.

It felt like 1857 again for a moment—but this time, with warships and wireless radios. The British feared the fire would spread across all arms of the forces. After all, these weren't untrained rebels—they were disciplined sailors trained by the Empire itself.

Rebels with names—and plans

The uprising wasn't leaderless. Petty Officers like M.S. Khan and Madan Singh coordinated actions across shipyards. At HMIS Talwar, Leading Telegraphist B.C. Dutt had already scrawled "Quit India" on ship walls days before the mutiny began. Dutt later wrote, "We were no longer their tools. For once, we hoisted a flag of our own."

These leaders' coordination and calm resolve shocked the British more than any weapon could.

A nervous Raj scrambles for control

The British panicked. They had good reason to. Tanks rolled into Bombay. The Royal Navy surrounded rebel ships, ready to strike. If talks failed, orders were drawn to crush the revolt with force.

But there was hesitation. Could they fire upon Indian sailors—while the whole city watched in support? Viceroy Wavell reportedly told London, behind closed doors, that "if the armed forces become unreliable, our position here is impossible."

Congress and the League say to stop

Political leaders were caught off guard—and deeply worried. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, fearing civil unrest, appealed to the ratings to surrender. Mohammad Ali Jinnah echoed the call. Gandhi, though sympathetic, criticised the sailors' method.

Neither the Indian National Congress nor the Muslim League officially supported the uprising. The ratings, feeling abandoned, began to waver. Yet, their message had already been sent.

A surrender, but not silence

By 23 February, the revolt ended. Most sailors laid down arms. Many were arrested. Thousands were dismissed without pension or honour. The revolt had been crushed, but without bloodshed on the scale many had feared.

Still, the shockwaves were felt in London. The mutiny, along with the INA trials and mass protests, revealed the truth: the British could no longer trust the loyalty of their Indian forces. Mountbatten later admitted the uprising had "accelerated the timetable of British withdrawal."

The rebellion that history forgot

Despite its scale, the 1946 Naval Uprising remains forgotten chiefly.

No statues. No public holidays. There are no museum wings. But for nine days, the tricolour fluttered from British warships. That image—brown-skinned sailors saluting their freedom—was enough to shake an empire.

One sailor wrote in a letter to his family: "We did not win. But for those few days, we were free men." Sometimes, it's not a gunshot or a speech that breaks a regime. Sometimes, it's a plate of bad food, and the courage to raise a flag.