The Royal Indian Navy Mutiny, also known as the Naval Mutiny of 1946, occurred in February 1946, not 1947, and was a crucial yet often overlooked event in the Indian independence movement. The mutiny began on February 18, 1946, when around 1,500 Indian sailors on the HMIS Talwar in Bombay (now Mumbai) went on strike, protesting poor living conditions, inadequate pay, and racial discrimination by British officers.

The mutiny quickly spread to other ships and naval establishments across India, involving over 20,000 sailors and signaling widespread discontent. The sailors raised demands for better treatment and also voiced political aspirations, including support for Indian independence. They hoisted Congress, Muslim League, and Communist flags on their ships, symbolizing national unity against colonial rule.

The mutiny saw violent confrontations between mutineers and British forces, resulting in several casualties. It was eventually suppressed by British authorities with the support of Indian political leaders, including the Congress and the Muslim League, who were wary of the mutiny’s potential to spiral out of control and disrupt the independence negotiations.

Despite its suppression, the mutiny was a significant indicator of the declining control of the British over their Indian forces and heightened the urgency for British withdrawal, contributing to the momentum towards Indian independence in August 1947.