Tengku Indra Petra was the eldest son of Sultan Ibrahim and elder brother of Tengku Yahya Petra. After Sultan Ibrahim succeeded his childless brother Sultan Ismail, Tengku Indra Petra was appointed heir apparent with the title of "Raja Muda" on 25 October 1944. However, due to conflict with his father, he was dismissed from the post and removed from the line of succession by his father's decree on 1 February 1948. On the same day, Tengku Yahya Petra replaced his brother as heir apparent with the new title of "Tengku Mahkota".