Q&A · 48:30-52:54

A twenty-ship Royal Indian Navy in 1939

Five transferred Revenge-class battleships would free British construction and reshape Allied power in the Indian Ocean and East Africa.

Question

If India received a twenty-ship fleet in 1939, including five capital ships, what would it receive and how would that affect the war?

Short answer

The likeliest capital ships are the five Revenge-class battleships, whose transfer would expand Allied presence while prompting Britain to build modern replacements.

Notes

The proposed fleet pairs five Revenge-class capital ships with cruisers and destroyers, while British replacements add modern ships to the wider imperial force. Indian battleships could secure routes around the Cape and deter Italian operations in East Africa. Their presence might also complicate Graf Spee's choice to enter the Indian Ocean. A major Indian fleet would encourage larger Canadian and Australian programs, multiplying the effect beyond the twenty transferred ships.