The Indische Partij (IP) or Indies Party (Indonesian: Partai Hindia) was a short-lived but influential political organisation founded in 1912 by the Indo-European (Eurasian) journalist E.F.E.

In the bulletin, the native Dutch doctors denounced the government's intention to establish a second Medical School (NIAS) in Surabaya that was open to all nations.

Various writings containing his views on the unequal life of colonial society were published in newspapers and magazines such as Het Tijdschrift and De Expres.

Suwardi was of the view that the domination of the Dutch totok group over Indo and Bumiputera people must end because it was based on the arbitrariness of the colonial government.

In his writings, Suwardi pressed on the importance of Indies nationalism in every political struggle so as to end the exploitation carried out by the government.

Both organisations aimed to elevate the status of Indo-Europeans in the socio-economic field and forge an alliance with the Netherlands without separating from the mother country.

In his speech to the members of the Indische Bond on 12 December 1911 entitled ‘Aansluiting tussen blank en bruin’ (The union of white and brown skin), Dekker stirred up the spirit of the Indo people to rebel and break away from the colonial government.

[2] His speech influenced some members of the Indische Bond to form the Committee of Seven, which was tasked with preparing the formation of a new organisation.

On 6 September 1912, the Committee of Seven held a meeting under Dekker's leadership in Bandung and the result was the formation of a new association called the Indische Partij.

At the vergadering in Bandung, Dekker said that the founding of the Indische Partij was a declaration of war: light against darkness; civilisation against tyranny; good against evil; colonial tax-paying slaves against the tax-collecting state, the Netherlands.

Such a word does not frighten us[...] Due to the great enthusiasm of the people of the Dutch East Indies for the Indische Partij, within four months it had 25 branches with 5,775 members.

[5][7] Under the slogan of “Indie voor Indiers” membership was opened to Indo-Europeans, Dutch permanent settlers, Indo-Chinese natives and all indigenous peoples.

They must realize that artificially inculcated ideas of belonging to the ruling classes do by no means give them the right to look down on a class of (indigenous) Indiers with whom they are bound together with unbreakable chains [...]In 1912 the removal of the Batavia school for Civil Servants from the Dutch East Indies and the ban on establishing a Medical school for Indo-Europeans and Indo-Chinese had contributed to a strong undercurrent of dissatisfaction and the IP membership numbers were rising speedily.

In fear of a Malay language edition and collaboration with the ‘Sarekat Islam’ the colonial authorities stepped up its efforts to ban the IP.

These efforts included: After the end of the propaganda journey, on 25 December 1912 a meeting of Indische Partij representatives was held.

The nationalists who were members of various organisations rejected the Koloniale Raad and demanded that the House of Representatives elected by the Dutch East Indies government be balanced, between foreigners and natives.

Some of the Bandung branch of the Islamic Union such as Soewardi Surjaningrat, Abdoel Moeis, and Akhmad Hassan Wignjadisastra who were actively involved in the Indische Partij and might influence the native population to fight the colonisers so the government had to be careful.

On 25 December 1912, the Indische Partij leaders went to the Bogor Palace to gain recognition from the Dutch East Indies government.

On 13 January 1913, a report on Dekker containing his personal background, ideas and ideals as well as the influence of his propaganda on the people of the Dutch East Indies was submitted to Governor-General, Alexander Idenburg.

On 4 March 1913, Governor-General Idenburg officially rejected the Indische Partij board's application to obtain legal entity status by referring to article 111 of the Regerings-Reglement or Government Regulation of 1854.

With heavy heart, Dekker's final message to his members was that they should join the government-recognised Insulinde association with the spirit of the Indische Partij.

Although the government's strict measures resulted in many Indische Partij members losing their nerve, De Expres continued to survive.

[2] Meanwhile, Suwardi Suryaningrat wrote an article satirising the Dutch East Indies government entitled Als ik eens nederlander Was or ‘If I were a Dutchman’.

[8] The activities of the committee initiated by this triumvirate were considered dangerous by the government so that based on article 48 of the R.R, Governor-General Idenburg sentenced them to exile.

[13] Upon arrival in the Dutch East Indies, Dr Tjipto Mangunkusumo engaged in politics and later became a member of the PNI.