What is significance of RIN mutiny? To what extent, RIN mutiny hastened the end of British rule in India?

RIN mutiny happened at a time when the withdrawal of the British from India was obvious. The RIN mutiny is significant in India independence movement because:

• The revolt was within the pillar of British administration of armed forces which played a significant role in establishing the British Empire.
• The revolt in armed forces had a liberating effect on the minds of the people.
• The revolt strongly protested the arrest of rating for scrawling quit India on HMIS talwar.
• Workers of the Bombay presidency supported the movement.
• The movement spread to other branches of Navy.
• The movement got support from the countrymen. Indians expressed solidarity and sympathy with the revolt.

RIN mutiny was a final nail on the coffin of British rule in India. The early withdrawal of British from India was not solely based on the RIN mutiny. The other reasons which led to early withdrawal were:

• With Partition being a reality, there were higher chances of deteriorating law and order due to communal tensions as an offshoot to partition. British wanted to escape from the responsibility for communal tensions.
• The change of government in Britain, the coming of labour party to power which was sympathetic towards the cause of Independence of India.
• Great courage shown by Indians during Quit India movement was writing on the wall for British that Indians cannot be ruled against their wishes.
• The Quit India movement was a final struggle and there were no chances of settling for anything less than Independence.
• Britain had lost its glory and it lost its clout in International arena after the Second World War.

Therefore the early withdrawal of British from India cannot be attributed to a single cause. Multitude of reasons contributed for the hastened end of British rule in India.

Topics: GS-I: Modern Indian History & Freedom Struggle