A New India
Chapter 216 - 216: Address to the Nation

As soon as the clock striked 12 PM. The nation was waiting.

Today Rohan was about the address the Nation about the attack on Indian troops in Egypt that was published by all Indian Newspaper as an act of war.

Every family was in their home glued to the radio and those outside gather together to listen.

The whole country was still as if waiting for a judgement.

And soon a voice crackled that changed the world forever.

"My fellow Indians,

Yesterday, 20th February 1954, will go down in history as a day of infamy for our nation. Late last night, British warplanes carried out a deliberate and unprovoked attack on an Indian supply convoy stationed near Ismailia in Egypt.

This convoy, carrying medical aid, food, and ammunition for our soldiers stationed in Egypt, was ruthlessly targeted.

Twelve of our brave soldiers were killed in this cowardly assault. Many more were wounded, and the convoy itself was utterly destroyed.

This act of aggression was no mistake. It was no tragic misunderstanding. It was deliberate, calculated, and reckless.

It was an affront not just to the sovereignty of our forces but to the sovereignty of India itself.

And this is not an isolated event. Just before that attack on convoy, British paratroopers engaged Indian defensive positions near Ismailia.

That attack too resulted in the loss of Indian lives. At first I chose restraint. India chose restraint. We wanted to de-escalate, to maintain peace, to avoid the horrors of war.

But let me tell you, my fellow citizens: our restraint has been met with arrogance. Our patience has been mistaken for weakness.

The United Kingdom, in its arrogance has acted not as a protector of peace but as an aggressor against it.

They claim to be stabilizing the Suez Canal, safeguarding international trade routes for the benefit of all nations.

But their actions have proven otherwise. Their bombs were not dropped on enemies; they were dropped on neutral forces.

Their bullets have not been fired in defense of stability but in aggression against nations that refuse to bow to their outdated imperial ambitions.

This is not the behavior of a peaceful nation. This is war.

The United Kingdom, through its actions, has shown the world its true intentions. It is not here to protect trade routes.

It is not here to maintain peace. It is here to assert dominance, to remind the world of its waning power, and to punish those who dare to stand against it.

But they have made a grave miscalculation.

The India of today is not the India of yesterday. We are no longer a subjugated colony.

We are a sovereign nation, proud and strong, and we will not be intimidated. The United Kingdom has crossed a line.

By spilling Indian blood, they have awakened a force they cannot control.

Today, I stand before you to tell you that this aggression will not go unanswered. This is not a time for diplomacy or negotiation.

This is not a time for caution. The United Kingdom has declared war on India, and India will respond with the full might of its people, its resources, and its determination.

Effective immediately, I have ordered the mobilization of all branches of the Indian Armed Forces.

This is not a limited conflict. This is not a localized response. This is a declaration of war against the United Kingdom.

Our soldiers in Egypt will be reinforced. Our navy will patrol the waters of the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean, and beyond to ensure that no British vessel moves unchecked.

Our air force will be deployed to defend our interests, both at home and abroad.

Let there be no doubt in anyone's mind, India is fully committed to this fight.

This war is not just about the Suez Canal. It is about more than Egypt's sovereignty.

This is a fight for justice, for dignity, for the rights of nations to govern themselves without the shadow of imperialism looming over them.

It is a fight for every nation that has ever suffered under the yoke of colonialism.

The United Kingdom has spent decades clinging to the remnants of an empire that no longer exists.

It refuses to accept the changing world, one where nations like India are not merely independent but powerful.

They have chosen to provoke us, to attack us, to draw us into this conflict. And so, we will answer their provocation not with silence, but with action.

I call upon every citizen of India to stand united. This is not just a war for our soldiers it is a war for our people.

To the workers in our factories, I call on you to shift production to the needs of war.

To the farmers in our fields, I call on you to ensure our forces are fed and supplied.

To the families of our soldiers, I ask for your strength and resolve.

To our soldiers in Egypt, I send this message: You are not alone. Your country stands behind you.

We will not abandon you.

We will reinforce you, support you, and ensure that your sacrifices are not in vain.

To the people of the United Kingdom, I say this: Your government has chosen this path. Your leaders have acted with reckless disregard for the principles they claim to uphold. They have betrayed the trust of the world and brought this war upon themselves.

And to the United Kingdom itself, I offer no apologies, no negotiations, and no retreat. You have attacked us twice.

You have shed Indian blood. You have left us no choice but to respond in kind.

You sought to provoke us, and now you will face the consequences.

This war will not be fought in shadows or whispers.

It will be fought openly, with the full force of our nation.

And let me make one thing clear: this is not a war we sought, but it is a war we will win.

To the families of the fallen, I say this: Your sons, your fathers, your brothers did not die in vain.

Their sacrifices will be honored, their courage remembered, and their legacy defended.

The world will remember this day not as the day India was drawn into conflict but as the day India rose to defend its dignity, its sovereignty, and its future.

Let this be a warning to all who underestimate us: India does not back down. We do not bow to aggression. We do not yield to injustice. And we do not lose.

The fight ahead will not be easy. There will be hardship, sacrifice, and loss.

But we will persevere, for the cause is just, and our resolve is unshakable.

Today, I declare war on the United Kingdom.

Today, we fight not for revenge but for justice. Not for power but for peace.

And not for ourselves, but for the generations to come who deserve a world free from imperialism and tyranny.

May our cause be righteous. May our soldiers be brave. And may India emerge victorious."

---

In London, Anthony Eden listened to Rohan's speech in silence.

His face was pale.

Selwyn Lloyd stood nearby, his expression grim.

"This isn't just a regional conflict anymore," Lloyd said. "India's involvement changes everything."

Eden shook his head slowly. "We've awakened a giant, and now we'll pay the price."