The German military operations in India have attracted the attention of the entire world, especially the British government in exile in Canada. India, though their most prosperous and valuable colony, would significantly diminish the strength of the British Empire if lost. However, should they succeed in utilizing India to tie down the Germans and draw them into a quagmire of war, it would be a fortuitous turn of events.
In such a scenario, even if India were lost, the British Empire would not be at a total loss. This is why when Baron Charles Harding proposed to the Cabinet the idea of granting autonomy to India, or even allowing it to achieve independence, the British Cabinet agreed without hesitation.
However, it now appears that the highly anticipated Indian forces have failed to halt the German advance. Within a mere two months, even Delhi, the capital, had fallen. Meanwhile, another German army corps has wreaked havoc in the south of India, routing the British and Indian forces. The British Indian army, suffering heavy losses, now seems incapable of holding the Germans back or transforming India into a bloody quagmire.
Moreover, repeated failures and devastating losses have left both the Indian National Congress and the Green Party disillusioned with the British colonial authorities, pushing their cooperation to the brink of collapse. In light of this, the prospect of leveraging the power of the indigenous Indian forces to withstand the German onslaught seems even more implausible.
Such outcomes have caused considerable dissatisfaction within the British Cabinet. However, with no viable alternatives, they can only hope that the British Indian authorities will delay the Germans as much as possible, preventing the swift occupation of India.
Other nations, meanwhile, consider the German occupation of India all but inevitable. This rich and coveted colony has long been the object of desire for the world's great powers. Once under British rule, India fueled the empire's dominance for centuries. Now, with the Germans poised to seize India, it is clear that they will plunder the vast wealth of the subcontinent, significantly bolstering Germany's power. This would make it even harder for other nations to compete with India.
As the British Indian authorities face imminent defeat, local Indian factions are beginning to reconsider their strategies. Both the Indian National Congress and the Green Party have sent representatives to Germany, hoping to establish favorable terms with the German government. Deep down, their ultimate goal remains India's independence.
Previously, they had hoped to secure independence from the British, but now, with British rule crumbling, their focus has shifted to Germany. However, having cooperated fully with the British to oppose Germany, convincing the Germans to grant them independence would be a difficult task. Moreover, with Germany recently having taken control of India, it is highly unlikely they would allow the subcontinent to escape exploitation before extracting its wealth.
In addition to these factions, India is home to another significant force: the native rulers of its princely states. India currently comprises nearly six hundred princely states, with the largest, Hyderabad, controlling half of the subcontinent's territory and a third of its population. Under British rule, these princes were loyal to the British Crown, maintaining their dominions under British protection.
However, with British rule in India on the verge of collapse, the princes now face the reality that their privileged positions may soon be over. As such, they have begun to take action.
In Berlin, Emperor QinTian of the German Empire listens intently to reports on the operations in India.
"Your Majesty, the situation in India appears to be progressing smoothly. The British Indian Army and the British forces stationed in India have already been decimated by more than half. Though the British Indian forces are continuing to expand, their lack of weapons, training, and morale renders them no threat. We estimate that within three months, we will have the entire subcontinent under our control!" declared Marshal Falkenhayn, Minister of the Army and Chief of the General Staff, his face beaming with pride.
With a mere 400,000 troops, the Germans had struck a decisive blow to the British Indian Army, which numbered in the millions. Despite the Indian forces' poor combat capability, such a resounding victory was no small feat. The string of German successes in India once again reaffirmed the invincibility of the German Army. As the Minister of the Army and Chief of the General Staff, Falkenhayn was naturally filled with pride.
QinTian nodded approvingly. "The 4th and 8th Armies have performed exceptionally well on the Indian battlefield. Particularly the 8th Army, which has consistently defeated the main forces of the British Indian Army and has now captured Delhi."
QinTian was deeply satisfied with the performance of the German forces in India. Initially, he had thought that with the British Indian Army's aggressive expansion, it would take a long time to conquer India. In the worst case, it could take one or two years of conflict, and Germany would have to pay a heavy price for its conquest.
But to his surprise, the British Indian forces were far more fragile than anticipated, collapsing easily under the German assault. At this rate, Germany could conquer all of India within six months, achieving its objectives with minimal loss. This would allow Germany to seize India's wealth swiftly, maximizing its benefit.
"Your Majesty, representatives from the Indian National Congress and the Green Party have expressed a desire to negotiate with us," reported Foreign Minister Wahid.
QinTian shook his head. "There is nothing to discuss! Those people are seeking India's independence, but this Empire will never grant them that. Furthermore, they previously supported the British Indian authorities in opposing us. Now, seeing the British in decline, they wish to turn to us to achieve their goals. There is no such thing as an easy bargain in this world!"
The Empire's military and political ministers nodded in agreement. The German conquest of India was never intended to liberate the native population, but rather to enslave and exploit them. Thus, the National Congress and their allies were natural enemies of the Empire.
"Aside from the National Congress, the ruler of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan, has requested a secret visit to Germany," Wahid continued.
"Hyderabad's ruler?" QinTian mused, stroking his chin.
He was, of course, well aware of Hyderabad, the largest of India's princely states. The ruler's desire for a clandestine visit to Germany was clearly not a trivial matter.