British decolonisation planning was self-interested in this account: London wanted former colonies to pay their own defence costs while remaining tied to British training, trade, and systems. Katari received that training, including study at the Imperial Defence College, but drew a different lesson from it. Britain's strength came from its ability to produce and sustain capabilities at home. India therefore needed domestic capacity rather than permanent reliance on British equipment. Training could not dictate how Indian officers would use British methods, and Katari adapted them to national purposes.
Notable Point · 3:03-6:49
Learning from Britain without remaining dependent on Britain
British plans for a self-financing Commonwealth provide context for Katari's decision to copy the machinery of British naval power while rejecting continued material dependence.