How might sustained Indian military and infrastructure investment before 1939 change the war and postwar India?
Short answerIndia could join Australia as a major regional military base, provide larger naval forces to imperial defense, and possibly mitigate wartime supply and famine pressures.
NotesMore destroyers and cruisers would be backed by a larger Indian contribution to the forces available in Asia. Better infrastructure would also change how supplies and relief move during wartime crises, though exact outcomes remain uncertain. The strategic effect is a broader imperial defense system less dependent on forces arriving from Britain.