Indian Army

The Indian Army (ISO: Bhāratīya Sēnā) is the land-based branch and largest component of the Indian
Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army,[3] and its
professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS). The Indian Army was established on 1 April
1895 alongside the long established presidency armies of the East India Company, which too were
absorbed into it in 1903. Some princely states maintained their own armies which formed the
Imperial Service Troops which, along with the Indian Army formed the land component of the Armed
Forces of the Crown of India, responsible for the defence of the Indian Empire.[4][5] The Imperial
Service Troops were merged into the Indian Army after independence. The units and regiments of
the Indian Army have diverse histories and have participated in several battles and campaigns
around the world, earning many battle and theatre honours before and after Independence.[6]

The primary mission of the Indian Army is to ensure national security and national unity, to defend
the nation from external aggression and internal threats, and to maintain peace and security within
its borders. It conducts humanitarian rescue operations during natural calamities and other
disturbances, such as Operation Surya Hope, and can also be requisitioned by the government to
cope with internal threats. It is a major component of national power, alongside the Indian Navy and
the Indian Air Force.[7] The independent Indian army has been involved in four wars with
neighbouring Pakistan and one with China. Other major operations undertaken by the army include
Operation Vijay, Operation Meghdoot, and Operation Cactus. The army has conducted large
peacetime exercises such as Operation Brasstacks and Exercise Shoorveer, and it has also been an
active participant in numerous United Nations peacekeeping missions. The Indian Army was a
major force in the First and Second World Wars, particularly in the Western Front and the Middle
Eastern theatre during World War I, and the South-East Asian Theatre and the East African and North
African campaigns during World War II.

The Indian Army is operationally and geographically divided into seven commands, with the basic
field formation being a division. The army is an all-volunteer force and comprises more than 80% of
the country's active defence personnel. It is the largest standing army in the world,[8] with
1,237,117[9][10] active troops and 960,000 reserve troops.[11][12] The army has embarked on an
infantry modernisation program known as Futuristic Infantry Soldier As a System (F-INSAS), and is
also upgrading and acquiring new assets for its armoured, artillery, and aviation branches.[13][14][15]
History Indian Army

Bhāratīya Sēnā
Until the independence of India, the "Indian Army"
was a British-commanded force defined as "the
force recruited locally and permanently based in
India, together with its expatriate British
officers";[16] the "British Army in India" referred to
British Army units posted to India for a tour of
duty. The "Army of India" meant the combined
Indian Army and the British Army in India.

Ensign of the Indian Army

Background Founded 26 January 1950 (in

current form)

1 April 1895 (as

British Indian Army)

Country India

Type Army

Role Land warfare

No. 4 (Hazara) Mountain Battery with
RML7 pounder "Steel Gun" Mountain
Size 1,232,000 active
Gun in Review Order. Left to right
Naick, Havaldar, Subadar (Sikhs) and
personnel[1]
Gunner (Punjabi Musalman) c. 1895. 900,000 reserve
personnel[2]
In 1776, a Military Department was created within
~310 manned
the government of the East India Company at aircraft
Calcutta. Its main function was to record orders
that were issued to the army by various Part of Indian Armed
Forces
departments of the East India Company for the
territories under its control.[17] Headquarters Integrated Defence
Headquarters,
With the Charter Act 1833, the Secretariat of the
Ministry of Defence,
government of the East India Company was New Delhi
reorganised into four departments, including a
Motto(s) Sevā Paramo
Military Department. The army in the presidencies
Dharmaḥ (ISO)
of Bengal, Bombay and Madras functioned as ‹See RfD› transl. "Service

respective Presidency Armies until 1 April 1895, Before Self"

when they were unified into a single force known Colours Gold, red and black
[18][19][20][21]
as the Indian Army. For administrative
convenience, it was divided into four commands,
March Quick: Qadam Qadam
namely Punjab (including the North West
Badhaye Ja
Frontier), Bengal, Madras (including Burma), and
(Keep stepping
Bombay (including Sind, Quetta and Aden).[22]
forward)
Slow: Samman Guard
The Indian Army was a critical force for
(The Guard of
maintaining the primacy of the British Empire,
Honour)
both in India and throughout the world. Besides
maintaining internal security,[5] the Army fought in Anniversaries Army Day: 15
many other theatres: Third Anglo-Afghan war; the January

Boxer Rebellion in China; in Abyssinia and in the

Engagements See list: [hide]
First and Second World Wars. Large scale
international
conflicts
World wars Mahdist War
(1881–1899)

World War I
(1914–1918)

World War II
(1939–1945)

Korean War
Wars with
Indian Cavalry on the Western Front
during World War I. Afghanistan
Third Anglo-
Afghan War
(1919)

Tirah campaign
(1897–1898)

Waziristan
campaign
(1919–1920)
Wars with China
 Boxer Rebellion
(1899–1901)

Sino-Indian War
(1962)

Second Sino-
Indian War
(1967)

China–India
A Sikh soldier of the 4th Division (the
border
Red Eagles) of the Indian Army,
attached to the British Fifth Army in skirmishes

Italy. Holding a captured Nazi flag Sri Lankan Civil

after the surrender of German forces War
in Italy, May 1945. Behind him, a
Indian
fascist inscription says "VIVA IL
intervention in
DUCE", "Long live the Duce" (i.e.
Mussolini). the Sri Lankan
Civil War (1987–
The Kitchener Reforms brought the British Army
1990)
[23]
to a new century. In the 20th century, the Indian
Indian
Army was a crucial adjunct to the forces of the
intervention in
British Empire in both world wars. 1.3 million
Maldives coup
Indian soldiers served in World War I (1914–
d'etat (1988)
1918) with the Allies, in which 74,187 Indian Wars with
troops were killed or missing in action.[24] In 1915 Pakistan
there was a mutiny by Indian soldiers in First Kashmir

Singapore. The United Kingdom made promises War (1947–

of self-governance to the Indian National 1949)

Congress in return for its support but reneged on Indo-Pakistani

them after the war, following which the Indian War of 1965

Independence movement gained strength. Indo-Pakistani

War of 1971
The "Indianisation" of the Indian Army began with
the formation of the Prince of Wales Royal Indian Siachen conflict

Military College at Dehradun, in March 1912, to (1984–2003)

provide education to the scions of aristocratic Kargil War

and well-to-do Indian families and to prepare (1999)

selected Indian boys for admission into the Royal India-Pakistan

Military College, Sandhurst. Cadets were given a standoffs and
King's commission, after passing out, and were
posted to one of the eight units selected for border

Indianisation. Because of the slow pace of skirmishes

Indianisation, with just 69 officers being Minor conflicts

and annexations
commissioned between 1918 and 1932, political
Expedition to
pressure was applied, leading to the formation of
Tibet (1903–
the Indian Military Academy in 1932 and greater
1904)
numbers of officers of Indian origin being
Annexation of
commissioned.[25] On the eve of World War II, the
Hyderabad
officer corps consisted of roughly 500 Indians
(1948)
holding regular commissions against
Annexation of
approximately 3,000 British officers.[26]
Goa (1961)

In World War II Indian soldiers fought alongside Annexation of

the Allies. In 1939, British officials had no plan for Dadra and Nagar
expansion and training of Indian forces, which Haveli (1954)

comprised about 130,000 men (in addition there

Invasion of
were 44,000 men in British units in India in 1939), Sikkim (1975)
whose mission was internal security and defence Domestic conflicts
against a possible Soviet threat through Insurgency in

Afghanistan. As the war progressed, the size and Jammu and

role of the Indian Army expanded dramatically, Kashmir (1989–)

and troops were sent to battlefronts as soon as Insurgency in

possible. The most serious problem was the lack Northeast India
[27]
of equipment. Indian units served in Burma, (1954–)

wherein 1944–45, five Indian divisions were Naxalite-Maoist

engaged along with one British and three African insurgency
divisions. Even larger numbers operated in the (1967–)

Middle East. Some 87,000 Indian soldiers died in

Website indianarmy.nic.in (htt
the war. By the end of the war, it had become the
p://indianarmy.nic.i
largest volunteer army in history, rising to over 2.5 n/)
million men in August 1945.[28][29]
Commanders
In the African and Middle East campaigns,
Commander-in-Chief President
captured Indian troops were given a choice to join
Droupadi Murmu
the German Army, to eventually "liberate" India
from Britain, instead of being sent to POW camps. Chief of the Army General Upendra
These men, along with Indian students who were Staff (COAS) Dwivedi
in Germany when the war broke out, made up Vice Chief of the Lieutenant
what was called the Free India Legion. They were Army Staff (VCOAS) General N. S. Raja
originally intended as pathfinders for German Subramani
forces in Asia but were soon sent to help guard
Deputy Chief of the Lieutenant General
the Atlantic Wall. Few who were part of the Free
Army Staff (DCOAS) Tarun Kumar Aich
India Legion ever saw any combat, and very few
were ever stationed outside Europe. At its height, Notable Field Marshal K.

the Free India Legion had over 3,000 troops in its commanders M. Cariappa
Field Marshal
ranks.[30]
Sam Manekshaw

Indian POWs also joined the Indian National Army, General K. S.

which was allied with the Empire of Japan. It was Thimayya

raised by a former colonel of the Indian Army, Insignia

General Mohan Singh, but was later led by Subhas
Chandra Bose and Rash Bihari Bose. With the fall Flag

of Singapore in 1942, about 40,000 Indian

soldiers were captured. When given the choice,
over 30,000 joined the Indian National Army. Aircraft flown
Those who refused became POWs and were
Attack helicopter HAL Rudra, HAL
mostly shipped to New Guinea.[31] After initial
Prachand
success, this army was defeated, along with the
Japanese; but it had a huge impact on the Indian Utility helicopter HAL Dhruv, HAL
independence movement. Chetak, HAL Cheetah

Indian independence

Upon the Partition of India and Indian independence in 1947, four of the ten Gurkha regiments were
transferred to the British Army. The rest of the Indian Army was divided between the newly created
Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan. The Punjab Boundary Force, which had been formed to
help police Punjab during the partition period, was disbanded.[32] Headquarters Delhi and the East
Punjab Command were formed to administer the area.

The departure of virtually all senior British officers following independence, and their replacement by
Indian officers, meant many of the latter held acting ranks several ranks above their substantive
ones. For instance, S. M. Shrinagesh, the ground-forces commander of Indian forces during the first
Indo-Pak War of 1947–49 (and the future third COAS), was first an acting major-general and then an
acting lieutenant-general during the conflict while holding the substantive rank of major, and only
received a substantive promotion to lieutenant-colonel in August 1949.[33] Gopal Gurunath Bewoor,
the future ninth COAS, was an acting colonel at his promotion to substantive major from substantive
captain in 1949, while future Lieutenant General K. P. Candeth was an acting brigadier (substantive
captain) at the same time.[34] In April 1948, the former Viceroy's Commissioned Officers (VCO) were
re-designated Junior Commissioned Officers, while the former King's Commissioned Indian Officers
(KCIO) and Indian Commissioned Officers (ICO), along with the former Indian Other Ranks (IOR),
were respectively re-designated as Officers and Other Ranks.[35]

Army Day is celebrated on 15 January every year in India, in recognition of Lieutenant General K. M.
Cariappa's taking over as the first "Indian" Chief of the Army Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Indian
Army from General Sir Roy Bucher, on 15 January 1949. With effect from 26 January 1950, the date
India became a republic, all active-duty Indian Army officers formerly holding the King's Commission
were recommissioned and confirmed in their substantive ranks.[36]

Conflicts and operations

First Kashmir War (1947)

Immediately after independence, tensions between India and Pakistan erupted into the first of three
full-scale wars between the two nations over the then princely state of Kashmir. The Maharaja of
Kashmir wanted to have a standstill position. Since Kashmir was a Muslim majority state, Pakistan
wanted to make Kashmir a Pakistani territory. As a result, Pakistan invaded Kashmir on 22 October
1947, causing Maharaja Hari Singh to look to India, specifically to Lord Mountbatten of Burma, the
governor-general, for help. He signed the Instrument of Accession to India on 26 October 1947.
Indian troops were airlifted to Srinagar from dawn on 27 October.[37] This contingent included
General Thimayya who distinguished himself in the operation and in the years that followed became
a Chief of the Indian Army. An intense war was waged across the state and former comrades found
themselves fighting each other. Pakistan suffered significant losses. Its forces were stopped on the
line formed which is now called the Line of Control (LOC).

An uneasy peace, sponsored by the UN, returned by the end of 1948, with Indian and Pakistani
soldiers facing each other across the Line of Control, which has since divided Indian-held Kashmir
from that part held by Pakistan. Several UN Security Council resolutions were passed, with
Resolution 47 calling for a plebiscite to be held in Kashmir to determine accession to India or
Pakistan, only after Pakistan withdrew its army from Kashmir.[38] A precondition to the resolution
was for Pakistan and India to return to a state of "as was" before the conflict. Pakistan would
withdraw all tribesmen and Pakistani nationals brought in to fight in Kashmir. Pakistan refused to
pull back, and there could be no further dialogue on fulfilling the UN resolution.[39][38] Tensions
between India and Pakistan, largely over Kashmir, have never been eliminated.

Annexation of Hyderabad (1948)

Major General El Edroos

(at right) offers his
surrender of the
Hyderabad State Forces
to Major General (later
Army Chief) J.N.
Chaudhuri at
Secunderabad

After the partition of India, Hyderabad State, a princely state under the rule of the Nizam of
Hyderabad, chose to remain independent. The ensuing stand-off between the Government of India
and the Nizam ended on 12 September 1948, when India's then Deputy Prime Minister Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel ordered Indian troops to secure Hyderabad State. During five days of fighting, the
Indian Army, backed by an Indian Air Force squadron of Hawker Tempest aircraft, routed the
Hyderabad State forces. Five Indian Army infantry battalions and one armoured squadron were
engaged in the operation. The following day, Hyderabad was proclaimed part of India. Major General
Joyanto Nath Chaudhuri, who led the operation, and accepted the surrender of the Nizam's forces
on 18 September 1948, was appointed the military governor of Hyderabad, to restore law and order,
and served until 1949.

Assistance during the Korean War (1950–1953)

During the Korean War, although deciding against sending combat forces, India sent its 60th
Parachute Field Ambulance unit to aid the UN troops fighting against the North Korean invasion of
South Korea, as part of the 1st Commonwealth Division.[40] In the aftermath of the war, an Indian
infantry brigade formed the Custodian Force of India, some of whose soldiers were also part of the
Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission, which assisted in the exchange of prisoners of war and
was headed by Lieutenant General K. S. Thimayya.[41]
Annexation of Goa, Daman and Diu (1961)

Even though the British and French vacated all their colonial possessions in the Indian subcontinent,
Portugal refused to relinquish control of its colonies of Goa, Daman, and Diu. After repeated
attempts by India to negotiate were spurned by Portuguese prime minister and dictator, António de
Oliveira Salazar, on 12 December 1961 India launched Operation Vijay to capture the Portuguese
colonies, which was accomplished by small contingents of Indian troops. After a brief conflict that
lasted twenty-six hours—during which 31 Portuguese soldiers were killed, the Portuguese Navy
frigate NRP Afonso de Albuquerque was destroyed, and over 3,000 Portuguese were captured—
Portuguese General Manuel António Vassalo e Silva surrendered to Major General Kunhiraman Palat
Kandoth of the Indian Army. Goa, Daman, and Diu became a part of the Republic of India.

Sino-Indian War (1962)

Indian Army Hall of Fame at Leh, near

Indo-Tibet border

The cause of this war was a dispute over the sovereignty of the widely separated Aksai Chin and
Arunachal Pradesh border regions. Aksai Chin, claimed by India as part of Kashmir, and by China as
part of Xinjiang, contains an important road link that connects the Chinese regions of Tibet and
Xinjiang. China's construction of this road was one of the triggers of the conflict.

Small-scale clashes between Indian and Chinese forces broke out as India insisted on the disputed
McMahon Line being regarded as the international border between the two countries. Chinese
troops claimed not to have retaliated to the cross-border firing by Indian troops, despite sustaining
losses.[42] China's suspicion of India's involvement in Tibet created more rifts between the two
countries.[43]

In 1962, the Indian Army was ordered to move to the Thag La ridge, located near the border between
Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh and about 5 kilometres (3 miles) north of the disputed McMahon
Line. Meanwhile, Chinese troops had also made incursions into Indian-held territory, and tensions
between the two reached a new high when Indian forces discovered the road constructed by China
in Aksai Chin. After a series of failed negotiations, the People's Liberation Army attacked Indian
Army positions on the Thag La ridge. This move by China caught India by surprise, and on 12
October Nehru gave orders for the Chinese to be expelled from Aksai Chin. However, poor
coordination among various divisions of the Indian Army, and the late decision to mobilise the
Indian Air Force in vast numbers, gave China a crucial tactical and strategic advantage over India.
On 20 October, Chinese soldiers attacked India from both the northwest and northeast; and
captured large portions of Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh.

As the fighting moved beyond disputed territories, China called on the Indian government to
negotiate; however, India remained determined to regain lost territory. With no agreement in sight,
China unilaterally withdrew its forces from Arunachal Pradesh. The reasons for the withdrawal are
disputed, with India claiming various logistical problems for China and diplomatic support from the
United States, while China stated that it still held territory it had staked a claim on. The dividing line
between the Indian and Chinese forces was named the Line of Actual Control.

The poor decisions made by India's military commanders, and the political leadership, raised several
questions. The Henderson-Brooks and Bhagat committee was soon set up by the government of
India to determine the causes of the poor performance of the Indian Army. Its report criticised the
decision not to allow the Indian Air Force to target Chinese transport lines, out of fear of a Chinese
aerial counterattack on Indian civilian areas. Much of the blame was placed on the then–defence
minister, Krishna Menon, who resigned from his post soon after the war ended. Despite frequent
calls for its release, the Henderson-Brooks report remains classified.[44] Neville Maxwell has written
an account of the war.[45]

Indo-Pakistani War of 1965

A second confrontation with Pakistan took place in 1965. Although the war is described as
inconclusive, India had the better of the war and was the clear winner in tactical and strategic
terms.[46][47][48] Pakistani president Ayub Khan launched Operation Gibraltar in August 1965, during
which Pakistani paramilitary troops infiltrated into Indian-administered Kashmir and attempted to
ignite anti-India agitation in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistani leaders believed that India, which was
still recovering from the Sino-Indian War, would be unable to deal with a military thrust and a
Kashmiri rebellion. India reacted swiftly and launched a counter-offensive against Pakistan. In reply,
on 1 September Pakistan launched Operation Grand Slam, invading India's Chamb-Jaurian sector. In
retaliation, the Indian Army launched a major offensive all along its border with Pakistan, with
Lahore as its prime target.
 Indian Army officer next to a
destroyed Pakistani Sherman tank,
after the battle of Asal Uttar.

Initially, the Indian Army met with considerable success in the northern sector. After launching
prolonged artillery barrages against Pakistan, India was able to capture three important mountain
positions in Kashmir. By 9 September, the Indian Army had made considerable inroads into
Pakistan. India had its largest haul of Pakistani tanks when an offensive by Pakistan's 1st Armoured
Division was blunted at the Battle of Asal Uttar, which took place on 10 September near
Khemkaran.[49] The biggest tank battle of the war was the Battle of Chawinda, the largest tank battle
in history after World War II. Pakistan's defeat at the Battle of Asal Uttar hastened the end of the
conflict.[49]

At the time of the ceasefire declaration, India reported casualties of about 3,000. On the other hand,
it was estimated that more than 3,800 Pakistani soldiers were killed in the conflict.[50][51][52] About
200–300 Pakistani tanks were either destroyed or captured by India. India lost a total of 150-190
tanks during the conflict.[49][53] The decision to return to pre-war positions, following the Tashkent
Declaration, caused an outcry in New Delhi. It was widely believed that India's decision to accept the
ceasefire was due to political factors, not military, since it was facing considerable pressure from
the United States and the United Nations to cease hostilities.[54]

1967 Sino-Indian conflict

The 1967 Sino-Indian skirmish, also known as the Cho La incident, was a military conflict between
Indian troops and members of the Chinese People's Liberation Army who, on 1 October 1967,
invaded Sikkim, which was then a protectorate of India. On 10 October, both sides clashed again.
Defence minister Sardar Swaran Singh assured the Indian people that the government was taking
care of developments along the border. Indian losses were 88 killed, and 163 wounded, while
Chinese casualties were 300 killed and 450 wounded in Nathula, and 40 in Chola.[55] The Chinese
Army left Sikkim after this defeat.[56][57][58]

Operation against the Naxalites during 1971

Under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, during the president's rule in 1971, the Indian Army and the
Indian police launched Operation Steeplechase, a gigantic "counter-insurgency" operation against
the Naxalites, which resulted in the death of hundreds of Naxalites and the imprisonment of more
than 20,000 suspects and cadres, including senior leaders.[59] The army was also assisted by a
brigade of para commandos and the Indian paramilitary. The operation was organised in October
1969, and Lieutenant General J.F.R. Jacob was told by Govind Narain, the Home Secretary, that
"there should be no publicity and no records". Jacob's request to be presented with written orders
was also refused by the then Army Chief Sam Manekshaw.[60]

Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971

An independence movement broke out in East Pakistan which was crushed by Pakistani forces. Due
to large-scale atrocities committed against them, thousands of Bengalis took refuge in
neighbouring India causing a major refugee crisis there. In early 1971, India declared its full support
for the Bengali freedom fighters, known as Mukti Bahini, and Indian agents were extensively
involved in covert operations to aid them.

On 20 November 1971, the Indian Army moved 14 Punjab Battalion of the 45th Cavalry regiment,
into Garibpur, a strategically important town in East Pakistan, near India's border, and successfully
captured it. The following day, more clashes took place between Indian and Pakistani forces. Wary
of India's growing involvement in the Bengali rebellion, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) launched a
preemptive strike on 10 Indian air bases—at Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Agra, Adampur,
Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Uttarlai, and Sirsa—at 17:45 hours on 3 December. However, this aerial offensive
failed to accomplish its objectives and gave India an excuse to declare a full-scale war against
Pakistan the same day. By midnight, the Indian Army, accompanied by the Indian Air Force, launched
a major three-pronged assault into East Pakistan. The Indian Army won several battles on the
eastern front including the decisive Battle of Hilli. The operation also included a battalion-level
airborne operation on Tangail, which resulted in the capitulation of all resistance within five days.[61]
India's massive early gains were attributed largely to the speed and flexibility with which Indian
armoured divisions moved across East Pakistan.[62]
 Lt Gen A A K Niazi (right), Commander of the
Pakistani Eastern Command, signing the Instrument
of Surrender under the gaze of Lt Gen J S Arora.

Pakistan launched a counterattack against India on the western front. On 4 December 1971, A
Company of the 23rd Battalion of India's Punjab Regiment intercepted the Pakistani 51st Infantry
Brigade near Ramgarh, Rajasthan. The Battle of Longewala ensued, during which A Company,
though outnumbered, thwarted the Pakistani advance until the Indian Air Force directed its fighters
to engage the Pakistani tanks. By the time the battle had ended, 38 Pakistani tanks and 100
armoured vehicles were either destroyed or abandoned. About 200 Pakistani troops were killed in
action, while only two Indian soldiers died. Pakistan suffered another major defeat on the western
front at the Battle of Basantar, which was fought from 4 to 16 December. During the battle, about 66
Pakistani tanks were destroyed and 40 more were captured. Pakistani forces destroyed only 11
Indian tanks.[63] By 16 December, Pakistan had lost sizeable territory on both the eastern and
western fronts.

On 16 December 1971, under the command of Lt. General J. S. Arora, elements of the three corps of
the Indian Army that had invaded East Pakistan entered Dhaka as a part of the Indo-Bangladesh
allied force and forced Pakistani forces to surrender, one day after the conclusion of the Battle of
Basantar. After Pakistan's Lt General A. A. K. Niazi signed the Instrument of Surrender, India, as a
part of the allied forces, took more than 90,000 Pakistani prisoners of war. By the time of the
signing, 11,000 Pakistani soldiers had been killed in action, while India suffered 3,500 battle-related
deaths.[51] In addition, Pakistan lost 220 tanks during the battle compared to India's 69.[64]

In 1972, the Simla Agreement was signed between the two countries, although subsequent
incidences of heightened tensions have resulted in continued military vigilance on both sides.
Siachen conflict (1984)

A memorial for the 22 Indian Army

Medical Corps at the War Cemetery in
Taiping, Perak

The Siachen Glacier, although a part of the Kashmir region, was not demarcated on maps prepared
and exchanged between the two sides in 1947. In consequence, before the 1980s neither India nor
Pakistan maintained a permanent military presence in the region. However, beginning in the 1950s,
Pakistan began sending mountaineering expeditions to the glacier. By the early 1980s, the
Government of Pakistan was granting special expedition permits to mountaineers and United States
Army maps showed Siachen as a part of Pakistan.[65] This practice gave rise to the term oropolitics.

India, possibly irked by these developments, launched Operation Meghdoot in April 1984. An entire
battalion of the Kumaon Regiment was airlifted to the glacier. Pakistani forces responded quickly,
and clashes between the two followed. The Indian Army secured the strategic Sia La and Bilafond
La mountain passes, and by 1985 more than 2,600 km2 (1,000 sq mi) of territory claimed by
Pakistan was under Indian control.[66] The Indian Army continues to control all of the Siachen
Glacier and its tributary glaciers. Pakistan has made several unsuccessful attempts to regain
control over Siachen. In late 1987, Pakistan mobilised about 8,000 troops and garrisoned them near
Khapalu, aiming to capture Bilafond La.[67] However, they were repulsed by Indian Army personnel
guarding Bilafond. During the battle, about 23 Indian soldiers lost their lives, while more than 150
Pakistani troops perished.[68] Further unsuccessful attempts to reclaim positions were launched by
Pakistan in 1990, 1995, 1996, and 1999, most notably in Kargil in the latter year.
 An Indian Army soldier, part of a
patrolling group, in snow camouflage
holding a SIG 716i.

Indian Army soldiers patrolling snow

clad mountain range.

India continues to maintain a strong military presence in the region, despite inhospitable conditions.
The conflict over Siachen is regularly cited as an example of mountain warfare.[69][70] The highest
peak in the Siachen Glacier region, Saltoro Kangri, could be viewed as strategically important for
India because of its height, which would enable Indian forces to monitor Pakistani or Chinese
movements in the area.[71] Maintaining control over Siachen poses several logistical challenges for
the Indian Army. Several infrastructure projects were constructed in the region, including a helipad
at an elevation of 6,400 m (21,000 ft).[72] In 2004, the Indian Army was spending an estimated US$2
million a month to support its personnel stationed in the region.[73]
Counter-insurgency activities

The Indian Army has played a crucial role in fighting insurgents and terrorists within the nation. The
army launched Operation Blue Star and Operation Woodrose in the 1980s to combat Sikh
insurgents. The army, along with some paramilitary forces, has the prime responsibility of
maintaining law and order in the troubled Jammu and Kashmir region, under Northern Command.
The Indian Army sent a contingent to Sri Lanka in 1987 as a part of the Indian Peace Keeping
Force.[74][75][76] The Indian Army also successfully conducted Operation Golden Bird in 1995, as a
counter-insurgency operation in northeast India.[77]

Kargil war (1999)

In 1998, India carried out nuclear tests; and a few days later, Pakistan responded with nuclear tests
of its own, giving both countries nuclear deterrence capability, although India had tested a hydrogen
bomb, which Pakistan lacked. Diplomatic tensions eased after the Lahore Summit was held in 1999.
However, the sense of optimism was short-lived. In mid-1999, Pakistani paramilitary forces and
Kashmiri insurgents captured the deserted, but strategic, Himalayan heights in the Kargil district of
India. These had been vacated by the Indian Army during the onset of the inhospitable winter and
were to be reoccupied in spring. The troops that took control of these areas received important
support, of both arms and supplies, from Pakistan. Some of the heights under their control, which
also included the Tiger Hill, overlooked the vital Srinagar–Leh Highway (NH 1A), Batalik, and Dras.

Kargil War Memorial looking at

National Highway 1 from the foot of
Tololing
Once the scale of the Pakistani incursion was realised, the Indian Army quickly mobilised about
200,000 troops, and Operation Vijay was launched. However, since the heights were under Pakistani
control, India was at a clear strategic disadvantage. From their observation posts, the Pakistani
forces had a clear line-of-sight to lay down indirect artillery fire on NH 1A, inflicting heavy casualties
on the Indians.[78] This was a serious problem for the Indian Army as the highway was its main
supply route.[79] Thus, the Indian Army's priority was to recapture peaks near NH 1A. This resulted in
Indian troops first targeting the Tiger Hill and Tololing complex in Dras.[80] This was soon followed
by more attacks on the Batalik–Turtok sub-sector, which provided access to Siachen Glacier. Point
4590, which had the nearest view of the NH 1A, was successfully recaptured by Indian forces on 14
June.[81]

Indian soldiers after winning a battle

during the Kargil War.

Though most of the posts in the vicinity of the highway were cleared of the enemy by mid-June,
some posts near Dras endured sporadic shelling until the end of the war. Once the NH 1A area was
cleared, the Indian Army turned to drive the invading force back across the Line of Control. The
Battle of Tololing, among others, slowly tilted the war in India's favour. Nevertheless, some Pakistani
posts put up a stiff resistance, including Tiger Hill (Point 5140), which fell only later in the war. As
the operation was fully underway, about 250 artillery guns were brought in to clear the infiltrators in
posts that were in the line-of-sight. At many vital points, neither artillery nor air power could dislodge
the Pakistan soldiers, who were out of visible range. The Indian Army mounted some direct frontal
ground assaults, which were slow and took a heavy toll, given the steep ascents that had to be
made on peaks as high as 5,500 m (18,000 ft). Two months into the conflict, Indian troops had
slowly retaken most of the ridges they had lost.[82][83] According to official accounts, an estimated
75%–80% of the enemy-occupied area, and nearly all the high ground, was back under Indian
control.

Following the Washington Accord of 4 July, where Sharif agreed to withdraw Pakistani troops, most
of the fighting came to a gradual halt; but some Pakistani forces remained in positions on the Indian
side of the LOC. In addition, the United Jihad Council (an umbrella group for all extremists) rejected
Pakistan's plan for a draw-down, deciding instead to fight on.[84] The Indian Army launched its final
attacks in the last week of July. As soon as the Dras sub-sector had been cleared of Pakistani
forces, the fighting ceased on 26 July, which has since been celebrated as Kargil Vijay Diwas (Kargil
Victory Day) in India. By the end of the war, India had resumed control of all the territory south and
east of the Line of Control, as was established in July 1972 per the Shimla Accord. By the time all
hostilities had ended, the number of Indian soldiers killed during the conflict stood at 527,[85] while
more than 700 regular members of the Pakistani Army had been killed.[86] The number of Islamist
fighters, also known as Mujahideen, killed by Indian armed forces during the conflict stood at about
3,000.

2016 Surgical Strikes on Kashmir and the 2016–2018 India-Pakistan conflict

On 18 September 2016, a fedayeen attack was made by four armed militants on an army base near
the town of Uri. Nineteen Indian Army soldiers were killed. India accused Jaish-e-Muhammad, a
Pakistan-based terrorist organisation.[87] On 29 September 2016, the India Army announced that it
conducted "surgical strikes" against militant launch pads across the Line of Control, in Pakistani-
administered Kashmir, and inflicted "significant casualties".[88] Indian media reported the casualty
figures variously from 35 to 70 killed.[89][90] Partial footage of the strikes was released to the Indian
media on 27 June 2018 as proof of the strike.[91][92] The incident triggered the 2016–2018 India-
Pakistan border conflict, which ended on 16 June 2018 with both India and Pakistan agreeing on a
ceasefire.[93][94]

2019 India–Pakistan border skirmishes

Following the 14 February 2019 Pulwama attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 40 Indian
Central Reserve Police Force personnel. Responsibility for the attack was claimed by a Pakistan-
based militant group, Jaish-e-Mohammed.[95] India blamed Pakistan for the attack and promised a
robust response, while the latter condemned the attack and denied having any connection to
it.[96][97]

Twelve days later, in the early morning of 26 February 2019, India carried out a cross-border airstrike
near Balakot, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.[98][99]

After over a month-long skirmish, both Indian Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and Pakistan
Prime Minister Imran Khan agreed on a peace offer on 22 March 2019 ending hostilities and vowed
to fight against terrorism together.[100][101]
United Nations peacekeeping missions

An Indian Army peacekeeper and an

FARDC soldier shake hands and
encourage each other

India has been the largest troop contributor to UN peacekeeping missions since its inception. So far,
India has taken part in 43 Peacekeeping missions, with a total contribution exceeding 160,000
troops and a significant number of police personnel having been deployed. In 2014, India was the
third largest troop contributor (TCC), with 7,860 personnel deployed, of which 995 were police
personnel, including the first UN Female Formed Police Unit, serving with ten UN peacekeeping
missions.[102][103] As of 30 June 2014, 157 Indians have been killed during such missions.[104] The
Indian army has also provided paramedical units to facilitate the withdrawal of the sick and
wounded.

Indo-China Doklam issue

Major exercises

Operation Brasstacks

Operation Brasstacks was launched by the Indian Army in November 1986 to simulate a full-scale
war on India's western border. The exercise was the largest ever conducted in India; it included nine
infantry, three mechanised, three armoured divisions, and one air assault division, as well as three
independent armoured brigades. Amphibious assault exercises were also conducted with the Indian
Navy. Brasstacks also allegedly incorporated nuclear attack drills. It led to tensions with Pakistan
and a subsequent rapprochement in mid-1987.[105]

Exercise Nomadic Elephant

Since 2004, and every year since, the Indian Army has been conducting training exercises with the
Mongolian Army. In 2012, the exercise took place in Belgaum; in June 2013, it was held in Mongolia.
The aim of the exercises is to enhance counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism operations, and to
train in conducting peacekeeping operations under the mandate of the United Nations.[106][107]
Exercise Ashwamedha

Indian Army tested its network-centric warfare capabilities in the Ashwamedha exercise. The
exercise was held in the Thar desert, and over 300,000 troops participated.[108] Asymmetric warfare
capability was also tested by the Indian Army during the exercise.[109]

Exercise Yudh Abhyas

Yudh Abhyas 2012 – US and Indian

Army military exercise video trailer

Indian Army Aviation Corps Dhruv

helicopter ferrying U.S. soldiers during
the Yudh Abhyas training exercise in
2009

The Yudh Abhyas exercise is an ongoing series, since 2005 of joint exercises between the Indian
and United States armies, agreed upon under the New Framework of the India-US Defence
Relationship. Commencing at the platoon level, the exercise has graduated to a command post
(CPX) and field training exercise (FTX).

Indian army armoured vehicles during

Yudh Abhyas exercises
The seventh edition of Yudh Abhyas began on 5 March 2012, in two locations under the
Southwestern Command. The US Army contingent is from the US Army Pacific (USARPAC), part of
the United States Pacific Command (USPACOM). The command post exercise has an engineer
brigade headquarters, with its planners drawn from both countries, while the field training exercise
comprises troops of the United States' 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, from the 25th Infantry
Division, Hawaii, along with a Stryker platoon, and a similarly sized Indian Army contingent of
mechanised infantry. Several key surveillance, communications, and IED detection and
neutralisation technologies, available to both sides, were fielded in the exercise.

The eighth edition of Yudh Abhyas was conducted from 3 to 17 May 2013 as a U.S.-Army-Pacific-
sponsored bilateral training exercise with the Indian Army, an exercise that focused on the two
countries' cultures, weapons training, and tactics. Units from the United States included the 1st
Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, from Fort Bragg, N.C., and the 3rd Squadron, 73rd
Cavalry Regiment. Units from India were the Indian Army's 99th Mountain Brigade; the 2nd Battalion,
5th Gurka Rifles; the 50th Independent Parachute Brigade; and the 54th Engineers
Regiment.[110][111][112][113]

Exercise Shakti

Indian Army showcasing ASMI to

French soldier during Exercise Shakti

The Shakti exercise is an ongoing series, since 2011, of joint exercises between the Indian and
French armies. The exercise is conducted to practice and validate anti-terrorist operations in
snowbound and mountainous areas. The first joint exercise was held in India in October 2011 and
the second one in September 2013. The theme of the exercise is to conduct joint platoon-level
counter-insurgency operations in high-altitude mountainous terrain under the UN Charter, thus
emphasising the shared concerns of both countries regarding global terrorism. An added aim of the
exercise is to qualitatively enhance knowledge of each other's military procedures, thus increasing
the scope for interoperability and the ability to respond to a common threat. The twelve-day exercise
with the French Army is scheduled to be conducted in multiple modules in order to achieve
complete integration between the two contingents at every stage.[114][115]
Exercise Shoorveer

From the first week of April to the first week of May 2012, the Indian Army launched a massive
summer exercise in the Rajasthan desert, involving over 50,000 troops and several hundred artillery
pieces and infantry combat vehicles, as part of its efforts to shore up its battle worthiness on the
western front, the border with Pakistan. The exercise, code-named "Shoorveer", was being
conducted by the Jaipur-based South Western Command. This was the largest ever exercise
conducted by the Indian army since 1947. The collective training started with the honing of basic
battle procedures and tactical drills.

Several field firings were carried out to check the accuracy and lethality of weapon systems. Many
innovations, adopted by units and formations to enhance combat power, were tested in the field.
The troops built on the training momentum gradually, with increasing combat tempo, to set the
stage for a major joint army–air force exercise in the latter part of the exercise.[116]

Exercise Rudra Akrosh

In May 2012, the Indian Army conducted several war games aimed (according to officials) at
validating "the operational and transformational effectiveness of various formations under the
Western Army Command".[117] The exercise involved approximately 20,000 troops and support from
the Indian Air Force.

Exercise Shatrujeet

In April 2016, the Indian Army conducted a major exercise called Shatrujeet, with the elite Mathura-
based Strike Corps in the desert area of the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan, whose object
was to evaluate the capability to strike deep into enemy territory, to deliver a quick, lethal strike
against the enemy in an integrated air-land battle environment, with co-ordination among all the
forces in a nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare scenario.[118][119][120]

Mission and doctrine

Initially, the army's main objective was to defend the nation's frontiers. However, over the years, the
army has also taken up the responsibility of providing internal security, especially against
insurgencies in Kashmir and Northeast India. Currently, the army is also looking at enhancing its
special forces capabilities. With India's increasing international role, and the requirement to protect
its interests in far-off countries becoming important, the Indian Army and the Indian Navy are jointly
planning to set up a marine brigade.[121][122]
The current combat doctrine of the Indian Army is based on effectively utilising holding formations
and strike formations. In the case of an attack, the holding formations would contain the enemy and
strike formations would counter-attack to neutralise enemy forces. In the case of an Indian attack,
the holding formations would pin enemy forces down, whilst the strike formations would attack at a
point of India's choosing. The Indian Army is large enough to devote several corps to the strike role.

India Pakistan army corps

deployment
Organisation

Leadership

Leadership at Army Headquarters

Post Current Holder

Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM, AVSM [123]

Lieutenant General N. S. Raja Subramani, PVSM, AVSM,

Vice Chief of Army Staff
SM, VSM

Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy) Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma, PVSM, AVSM, SM

Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (Information Systems and

Lieutenant General Rakesh Kapoor, AVSM, VSM
Coordination)

Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Capability Development and

Lieutenant General Rahul R Singh, VSM
Sustenance)

Adjutant General Lieutenant General VPS Kaushik, UYSM, YSM, SM

Military Secretary Lieutenant General Rashim Bali, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM

Quartermaster General Lieutenant General VMB Krishnan, PVSM, AVSM, YSM

Lieutenant General Amardeep Singh Aujla, PVSM, UYSM,

Master General Sustenance
YSM, SM, VSM

Engineer-in-Chief Lieutenant General Arvind Walia, AVSM

Indian Army Structure (click to enlarge)

The troops are organized into 40 Divisions in 14 Corps. Army headquarters is located in the Indian
capital, New Delhi, and it is under the overall command of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
Command structure

Indian Army Organizational Structure

The army operates six operational commands and one training command.[124] Each command is
headed by General Officer Commanding-in-Chief with the rank of Lieutenant General. Each
command directly reports to Army HQ in New Delhi. These commands are given below in order of
creation, with location (city) and commanders listed. There is also the Army Training Command
abbreviated ARTRAC. Besides these, army officers may head tri-service commands such as the
Strategic Forces Command and Andaman and Nicobar Command, as well as institutions such as
the Integrated Defence Staff.
 Few of known Subordinate
Insignia Name Headquarters Army Commander
Unit(s)/ Formation(s)

Headquarters, 50th Independent Parachute

New Delhi
Indian Army Brigade

Lieutenant General Anindya

Central Command Lucknow 6th Mountain Division
Sengupta[125]

[show]
III Corps

[show]
Lieutenant General Ram IV Corps
Eastern Command Kolkata
Chander Tiwari[126] [show]
XXXIII Corps

[show]
XVII Corps[127][128]

[show]
XIV Corps

[show]

Lieutenant General M. V. XV Corps

Northern Command Udhampur
Suchindra Kumar[129] [show]
XVI Corps

[show]
I Corps[130]

41st Artillery Division

[show]
Lieutenant General Dhiraj
Southern Command Pune XII Corps
Seth[131]
[show]
XXI Corps

42nd Artillery Division

South Western Lieutenant General Manjinder
Jaipur [show]
Command Singh[132]
X Corps

Western Command Chandimandir Lieutenant General Manoj 40th Artillery Division

[133]
Kumar Katiyar
[show]
II Corps

[show]
IX Corps
 Few of known Subordinate
Insignia Name Headquarters Army Commander
Unit(s)/ Formation(s)
[show]
XI Corps

Army Training Lieutenant General Devendra

Shimla Army Training Establishments
Command Sharma[134]

Combat Arms

Indian Army and Egyptian Army

during Exercise Cyclone

Indian Army soldiers move into

position while demonstrating a
platoon level ambush to U.S. Army
paratroopers.

Indian army band in Russia during the

Moscow Victory Day Parade

Not to be confused with the field corps listed above, the corps mentioned below are divisions
entrusted with specific pan-Army tasks.

The Indian Territorial Army has battalions affiliated with different infantry regiments and some
department units that are from the Corps of Engineers, Army Medical Corps, or the Army Service
Corps. They serve as a part-time reserve. On 4 June 2017, the chief of staff announced that the
Army was planning to open combat positions to women, who would first be appointed to positions
in the military police.

President's Bodyguard in summer

ceremonial uniforms in Rashtrapati
Bhavan courtyard during changing of
the guard

Name Director General Centre

Lieutenant General Vivek Kashyap, PVSM, The Armoured Corps Centre and School,
Armoured Corps
AVSM, VSM[135] Ahmednagar

Lieutenant General Adosh Kumar, PVSM,

Regiment of Artillery The School of Artillery, Devlali near Nasik
AVSM, SM[136]

Corps of Army Air Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D'Cunha,

Gopalpur, Odisha.
Defence SM[137]

Army Aviation Corps Lieutenant General Vinod Nambiar, SM[138] Combat Army Aviation Training School, Nasik.

College of Military Engineering, Pune

Lieutenant General Arvind Walia, Madras Engineer Group, Bangalore
Corps of Engineers [139]
AVSM Bengal Engineer Group, Roorkee
Bombay Engineer Group, Khadki near Pune

Military College of Telecommunication Engineering

Lieutenant General Kanwar Vinod Kumar,
Corps of Signals (MCTE), Mhow
AVSM[140]
Two Signal Training Centres at Jabalpur and Goa.

Mechanised Infantry Ahmednagar

Infantry Lieutenant General Ajay Kumar, VSM[141] Multiple centres

Armoured Corps

Kalyani and Tata Mine Protected

Vehicles

There are 65 armoured regiments in the Indian Army. These include the President's Bodyguard and
the 61st Cavalry as well as the following historic regiments dating back to the nineteenth century or
earlier: 1st (Skinner's) Horse, the 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse), the 3rd Cavalry, the 4th (Hodson's)
Horse, the 7th Light Cavalry, the 8th Light Cavalry, the 9th (Deccan) Horse, the 14th (Scinde) Horse,
the 17th (Poona) Horse, the 15th Lancers, the 16th Light Cavalry, the 18th Cavalry, the 20th Lancers
and the 21st (Central India) Horse. A substantial number of additional units designated as either
"Cavalry" or "Armoured" Regiments have been raised since Independence.

Mechanised Infantry

TATA Kestrel of the Indian Army

The Mechanised Infantry is the newest combat arm of the Indian Army. Often referred to as
"tomorrow's arm in today's army", it is formed of two regiments—The Brigade of the Guards and
Mechanised Infantry Regiment—and comprises 50 Mechanised Infantry battalions in all. It is the
brainchild of General Krishnaswamy Sundarji (28 April 1930 – 8 February 1999), who was the Chief
of Army Staff of the Indian Army from 1986 to 1988. During the late 70s, as part of Indian Army
modernisation, there was an urgent need to re-calibrate the Indian Mechanised Forces, which led to
the forming of Mechanised Infantry units to further the shock-action, fire-power, flexibility, and
mobility of armoured formations by including ground-holding ability. The Mechanised Infantry
regiments were first created with carefully selected existing Infantry battalions, based on their
operational performance. As the need for more mechanised battalions grew, the elite Brigade of The
Guards was also converted to the mechanised profile. The two regiments along with the Armoured
Corps form part of the Indian Army's elite "Mechanised Forces".

There are 50 mechanised infantry battalions in the Army. Of these, 10 are for reconnaissance and
support battalions (5 wheeled and 5 tracked) and 40 are standard mechanised infantry battalions
(10 wheeled and 30 tracked).[142]

The Standard and Recce & Support Tracked battalions are equipped with BMP-2 while the Wheeled
ones are equipped with Jeep (mounted ATGM launchers) and BRDM-2. The recce and support
battalions also included 4 ATGM battalions (including 17 Guards battalion). These were later
converted to R&S battalions.[143]

Infantry

Indian soldier from White Knight

Corps armed with a standard issued
Sig 716i, 2021

Soldiers of the Rajput Regiment

during a Republic Day Parade

Soldiers of the Sikh Light Infantry

during a Republic Day Parade
Upon its inception, the Indian Army inherited the British Army's organisational structure, which is still
maintained today. Therefore, like its predecessor, an Indian infantry regiment's responsibility is not
to undertake field operations but to provide battalions and well-trained personnel to the field
formations. As such, it is common to find battalions of the same regiment spread across several
brigades, divisions, corps, commands, and even theatres. Like its British and Commonwealth
counterparts, troops enlisted within the regiment are immensely loyal, take great pride in the
regiment to which they are assigned, and generally spend their entire career within the regiment.

Most Indian Army infantry regiments recruit based on certain selection criteria, such as region (for
example, the Assam Regiment), caste/community (Jat Regiment), or religion (Sikh Regiment). Most
regiments continue the heritage of regiments raised under the British Raj, but some have been
raised after independence, some of which have specialised in border defence, in particular the
Ladakh Scouts, the Arunachal Scouts, and the Sikkim Scouts.

Over the years there have been fears that troops' allegiance lay more with their regiments and the
regions/castes/communities/religions from which they were recruited, as opposed to the Indian
union as a whole. Thus some "all India" or "all class" regiments have been created, which recruit
troops from all over India, regardless of region, caste, community, or religion: such as the Brigade of
the Guards (which later converted to the Mechanised Infantry profile) and the Parachute Regiment.
Infantry regiments in the Indian Army[144]

Regiment Regimental Center Raised

Parachute Regiment Bangalore, Karnataka 1945

Punjab Regiment Ramgarh Cantonment, Jharkhand 1761

Madras Regiment Wellington Cantonment, Tamil Nadu 1758

The Grenadiers Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh 1778

Maratha Light Infantry Belgaum, Karnataka 1768

Rajputana Rifles Delhi Cantonment, New Delhi 1775

Rajput Regiment Fatehgarh, Uttar Pradesh 1778

Jat Regiment Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh 1795

Sikh Regiment Ramgarh Cantonment, Jharkhand 1846

Sikh Light Infantry Fatehgarh, Uttar Pradesh 1857

Dogra Regiment Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh 1877

Garhwal Rifles Lansdowne, Uttarakhand 1887

Kumaon Regiment Ranikhet, Uttarakhand 1813

Assam Regiment Shillong, Meghalaya 1941

Bihar Regiment Danapur Cantonment, Bihar 1941

Mahar Regiment Sagar, Madhya Pradesh 1941

Jammu & Kashmir Rifles Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh 1821

Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry Avantipur, Jammu and Kashmir 1947

Naga Regiment Ranikhet, Uttarakhand 1970

1 Gorkha Rifles Sabathu, Himachal Pradesh 1815

3 Gorkha Rifles Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 1815

4 Gorkha Rifles Sabathu, Himachal Pradesh 1857

5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) Shillong, Meghalaya 1858

8 Gorkha Rifles Shillong, Meghalaya 1824

9 Gorkha Rifles Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 1817

11 Gorkha Rifles Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 1918

Ladakh Scouts Leh, Jammu and Kashmir 1963

Rashtriya Rifles Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir 1990

Arunachal Scouts Shillong, Meghalaya 2010

Sikkim Scouts Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 2013

Artillery

Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launchers

were used during the Kargil War.

The Regiment of Artillery is the second-largest arm of the Indian Army, constituting nearly one-sixth
of the Army's total strength. Originally raised in 1935 as part of the Royal Indian Artillery of the
British Indian Army, the Regiment is now tasked with providing the Army's towed and self-propelled
field artillery, including guns, howitzers, heavy mortars, rockets, and missiles.

As an integral part of nearly all combat operations conducted by the Indian Army, the Regiment of
Artillery has a history of being a major contributor to its military success. During the Kargil War, it
was the Indian Artillery that inflicted the most damage.[145] Over the years, five artillery officers have
gone on to the Army's highest post as Chief of Army Staff.

Dhanush artillery gun

For some time, the Regiment of Artillery commanded a significantly larger share of the Army's
personnel than it does now, as it was also responsible for air defence artillery and some aviation
assets. The 1990s saw the formation of the Corps of Army Air Defence and the coalescing of all
aviation assets into the Army Aviation Corps. The arm is now focused on field artillery and supplies
regiments and batteries to each of the operational commands. The home of the Regiment is in
Nashik, Maharashtra, where their headquarters is located, along with the service's museum. The
School of Artillery of the Indian Army is located nearby, in Devlali.

After suffering consistent failure to import or produce modern artillery for three decades,[146][147] the
Regiment of Artillery is finally going ahead with procurement of brand new 130-mm and 155-mm
guns.[148][149][150] The Army is also putting large numbers of rocket launchers into service, with 22
regiments to be equipped with the indigenously developed Pinaka multi barrel rocket launcher by
the end of the next decade.[151]

Corps of Engineers

The Indian Army Corps of Engineers has a long history dating back to the mid-18th century. The
earliest existing subunit of the Corps (18 Field Company) dates back to 1777, while the Corps
officially recognises its birth as 1780, when the senior-most group of the Corps, the Madras
Sappers, were raised. The Corps consists of three groups of combat engineers, namely the Madras
Sappers, the Bengal Sappers, and the Bombay Sappers. A group is roughly analogous to a regiment
of the Indian infantry, each group consisting of several engineer regiments. The engineer regiment is
the basic combat-engineer unit, analogous to an infantry battalion.

Corps of Signals

Indian Army Corps of Signals is a corps and the arm of the Indian Army which handles its military
communications. It was formed on 15 February 1911 as a separate entity under Lieutenant Colonel
S. H. Powell and went on to make important contributions during World War I and World War II.[152]
On 15 February 2011, the corps celebrated the 100th anniversary of its raising.[153]

Army Aviation Corps

The Army Aviation Corps, formed on 1 November 1986, is the aviation arm of the Indian Army. It is
headed by a Director-General with the rank of Lieutenant General at Army HQ in New Delhi.

Corps of Army Air Defence

The Corps of Army Air Defence (abbreviated AAD) is an active corps of the Indian Army, and a major
combat formation tasked with the air defences of the country from foreign threats. The Corps is
responsible for the protection of Indian air space from enemy aircraft and missiles, especially those
below 5,000 feet.[154]

The history of the AAD dates back to 1939, during the times of the British Raj in India. The corps
actively took part in the Second World War, fighting on behalf of the British Empire. Post-
independence, the corps has participated in all the wars involving India, starting with the 1947 Indo-
Pakistani War, up to the 1999 Kargil conflict. The corps enjoyed autonomous status from 1994, after
the bifurcation of the Corps of Air Defence Artillery from the Army's artillery regiment. A separate
training school, the Army Air Defence College (AADC), was established to train its personnel.
Services

Name Director General Centre

Army Service Corps Bangalore

Lieutenant General Sadhna Saxena Nair,

Army Medical Corps Lucknow/Pune
AVSM, VSM[155]

Lieutenant General Vineet Sharma, AVSM,

Army Dental Corps Lucknow
VSM

Lieutenant General Suresh Chandra Tandi,

Army Ordnance Corps Jabalpur and Secunderabad (HQ)
AVSM, VSM

Corps of Electronics and Mechanical

Lieutenant General JS Sidana, AVSM Secunderabad
Engineers

Remount and Veterinary Corps Meerut

Army Education Corps - Pachmarhi

Corps of Military Police Bangalore

Pioneer Corps Bangalore

Army Postal Service Corps - Kamptee near Nagpur

Territorial Army Lieutenant General Raju Baijal, SM New Delhi

Defence Security Corps - Kannur Cantonment, Kerala

Intelligence Corps - Pune

Judge Advocate General's Institute of Military Law Kamptee,

-
Department Nagpur

Military Nursing Service - Pune and Lucknow

Human Rights Cell - Delhi

Recruitment and training

Pre-commission training of Gentlemen Cadets is carried out at the Indian Military Academy at
Dehradun and the Officers Training Academy at Chennai. There are also specialised training
institutions such as the Army War College, at Mhow, Madhya Pradesh; the High Altitude Warfare
School (HAWS), at Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir; the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare
School (CIJW), in Vairengte, Mizoram; and the College of Military Engineering (CME), in Pune.

The Army Training Command (ARTRAC), at Shimla, supervises training of personnel.

In 2020 a 'Tour of Duty' scheme was proposed for voluntary recruitment into the forces for civilians,
to enable them to join for three years of short service.[156] The scheme is on a trial basis and will
start with a test group of 100 officers and 1000 jawans.[157]

Agnipath Scheme

Agnipath Scheme is a new scheme introduced by the Government of India on 14 June 2022, for
recruitment of soldiers below the rank of commissioned officers into the three services of the
armed forces.[158][159] All recruits will be hired only for a four-year period. Personnel recruited under
this system are to be called Agniveers (transl. Fire-Warriors), which will be a new military rank. The
introduction of the scheme has been criticized for lack of consultation and public debate. The
scheme was implemented in September 2022.

Recruitment in the
This scheme will bypass many things including long tenures, pension and other
Indian Army from
benefits which were there in old system.[161] Opposition parties in India have
2015[160]
criticised and expressed concerns about the consequences of the new scheme.
Year Soldiers
They have asked the scheme to be put on hold and that the scheme be
2015–16 71,804
discussed in the Parliament.[162]
2016–17 52,447
Intelligence 2017–18 50,026

The Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) is an intelligence-gathering arm of 2018–19 53,431

the Indian Army. The MI (as it is commonly referred to) was constituted in 1941. 2019–20 80,572
It was initially created to check corruption in the Army's ranks. With time, its role 2020–21 0
has evolved into cross-border intelligence, intelligence sharing with friendly 2021–22 0
nations, infiltrating insurgent groups, and counterterrorism. 2022–23 0

2023-24 13,000
In the late 1970s, the MI was embroiled in the Samba spy scandal, wherein
three Indian Army officers were falsely implicated as Pakistani spies. The organisation has since
emerged from the scandal as a prime intelligence organisation of the Indian Army.

As of 2012, the MI has seen many of its roles taken away by the newly created National Technical
Research Organisation and the Defence Intelligence Agency.[163] Since it was set up in 2004 as a
premier scientific agency under the National Security Adviser in the Prime Minister's Office, it also
includes the National Institute of Cryptology Research and Development (NICRD), which is the first
of its kind in Asia.[164]

STEAG

The Signals Technology Evaluation and Adaptation Group (STEAG), a specialist technical unit
tasked with investigating and evaluating cutting-edge communication technologies, was founded by
the Indian Army on 18 March 2024. It will prioritize the development of specialized technologies for
both wired and wireless systems, such as 5G and 6G networks, quantum technologies, artificial
intelligence, machine learning, software-defined radios (SDR), electronic exchanges, mobile
communications, and Electronic Warfare (EW) systems. In order to find appropriate defense
applications, the unit will work with industry and academics to utilize state-of-the-art technology. In
addition to developing and evaluating key Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
solutions, STEAG will do technical scouting and provide user interface assistance by maintaining
and upgrading modern technologies.[165]

Field formations

Below are the basic field formations of the Indian Army:

Command: Indian Army has six operational commands and one training command. Each one is
headed by a general officer commanding-in-chief (GOC-in-C), known as the army commander, who
is among the senior-most Lieutenant General officers in the army.

Corps: A command generally consists of two or more corps. Indian Army has 14 Corps each one
commanded by a general officer commanding (GOC), known as the corps commander, who holds
the rank of Lieutenant General.[124] Each corps is composed of three or four divisions. There are
three types of corps in the Indian Army: Strike, Holding and Mixed. The Corps HQ is the highest
field formation in the army.[166]

Division: Each division is headed by GOC (division commander) in the rank of major general.[124] It
usually consists of three to four Brigades.[124] Currently, the Indian Army has 40 Divisions
including four RAPIDs (Re-organised Army Plains Infantry Division), 18 Infantry Divisions, 12
Mountain Divisions, three Armoured Divisions and three Artillery Divisions.

Brigade: A brigade generally consists of around 3,000 combat troops with supporting elements.
An Infantry Brigade usually has three Infantry battalions along with various Support Elements.[124]
It is commanded by a brigade commander who is a Brigadier,[124] equivalent to a brigadier general
in some armies. In addition to the Brigades in various Army Divisions, the Indian Army also has
five Independent Armoured Brigades, 15 Independent Artillery Brigades, seven Independent
Infantry Brigades, one Independent Parachute Brigade, three Independent Air Defence Brigades,
two Independent Air Defence Groups and four Independent Engineer Brigades. These
Independent Brigades operate directly under the Corps Commander (GOC Corps).

Battalion: Composed of four rifle companies.[124] Commanded by a battalion commander who is a

Colonel[124] and is the Infantry's main fighting unit. Every infantry battalion also possesses one
Ghatak Platoon.[167]
 Company: Composed of three platoons.[124] Commanded by a company commander who is a
major or lieutenant-colonel.[124]

Battery: Comprising either 3 or 4 sections, in artillery and air defence units. Every battery has two
officers, the senior of which is the Battery Commander.

Platoon: Composed of three sections.[124] Commanded by a platoon commander who is a

JCO.[124]

Section: Smallest military outfit, with a strength of 10 personnel. Commanded by a section

commander of the rank of Havaldar.[124]

Indian Army forts

Fort William, Kolkata: Garrison of Eastern Army Command

Fort St George, Chennai: Garrison of ATNK&K Army Area

OD Fort, Allahabad, Ordnance Depot

Personnel

National War Memorial in honour of

soldiers who laid down their lives for
the nation.[168]

The Indian Army is a voluntary service, and although a provision for military conscription exists in
the Indian constitution, conscription has never been imposed. As of 1 July 2017, the Indian Army
has a sanctioned strength of 49,932 officers (42,253 serving, being 7,679 under strength), and
1,215,049 enlisted personnel (1,194,864 serving, being 20,185 under strength).[9][10] Recently, it has
been proposed to increase the strength of the army by more than 90,000, to counter the increasing
presence of Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control.[169][170] According to the International
Institute for Strategic Studies, in 2020 the army had a strength of 1,237,000 active personnel and
960,000 reserve personnel.[171] Of those in reserve, 300,000 are first-line reserves (within 5 years of
active service), 500,000 are committed to return if called until the age of 50, and 160,000 were in the
Indian Territorial Army, with 40,000 in regular establishment. This makes the Indian Army the world's
largest standing volunteer army.[172][173]
Rank structure

The ranks of the Indian Army for the most part follow the British Army tradition.

Strength of the Indian Army

Officers 42,913 (3.49%)

Personnel below officer rank 1,185,146 (96.5%)

As of January 2019, the Indian Army had an authorized strength of 50,312 officers and 1,223,381
personnel below officer rank (PBOR), bringing the total to 1,273,693. However, there was a shortfall
of 7,399 officers and 38,235 PBORs, reducing the actual strength to 42,913 officers and 1,185,146
PBORs. This resulted in a total actual strength of 1,228,059 personnel.[174]

Commissioned Officers Commissioned officers are the leaders of the army and command units
from platoon/company to brigade, division, corps, and above.

Indian Army officers are continually put through different courses of training, and assessed on merit,
for promotions and appointments. Substantive promotions up to lieutenant colonel, or equivalent,
are based on time in service, whereas those for the colonel and above are based on selection, with
promotion to colonel being also based on time served.
Equivalent ranks of Indian military

Indian Navy Indian Army Indian Air Force

Commissioned ranks

Admiral of Field marshal Marshal of

the fleet the Indian Air Force

Admiral General Air chief marshal

Vice admiral Lieutenant general Air marshal

Rear admiral Major general Air vice marshal

Commodore Brigadier Air commodore

Captain Colonel Group captain

Commander Lieutenant colonel Wing comman

Lieutenant commander Major Squadron leade

Lieutenant Captain Flight lieutenant

Sub lieutenant Lieutenant Flying officer

Junior commissioned ranks

Master chief Subedar major[Alt 1] Master warra

petty officer
1st class

Master chief Subedar[Alt 2] Warrant officer

petty officer
2nd class

Chief Naib subedar[Alt 3] Junior warrant o

petty officer

Non-commissioned ranks

Petty officer Havildar/Daffadar Sergeant

Leading seaman Naik/Lance daffadar Corpora

Seaman 1 Lance naik/ Leading aircr

Acting Lance-Daffadar

Seaman 2 Sepoy/Sowar Aircraftsman

 Footnotes

1. Risaldar major in cavalry and armoured regime

2. Risaldar in cavalry and armoured regiments

3. Naib risaldar in cavalry and armoured regiment

Called jemadar until 1965.

Rank
General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
group

Indian
Army[175] Lieutenant Major Lieutenant
Field
General general general Brigadier Colonel colonel Major Captain Lieutenant
marshal
जनरल लेफ्टिनेंट मेजर ब्रिगेडियर कर्नल लेफ्टिनेंट मेजर कै प्टन लेफ्टिनेंट
फील्ड मार्शल
जनरल जनरल कर्नल
Held by
the
Chief of
Defence
Staff
(with
Honorary/
different
War time
insignia)
rank
and/or
the
Chief of
the
Army
Staff
 An Indian Army paratrooper with the 50th
Parachute Brigade jumps from a
helicopter

Other Ranks

Rank group Junior commissioned officers Non commissioned officer Enlisted

No insignia
Indian Army[175]

Subedar-major Subedar Naib subedar Havildar Naik Lance naik Sepoy

सूबेदार मेजर सूबेदार नायब सूबेदार हवलदार नायक लांस नायक सिपाही

Uniforms

To make themselves less of a target, the forces of the East India Company in India dyed their white
summer tunics to neutral tones initially a tan called khaki (from the Hindi word for "dusty"). This was
a temporary measure that became standard in the Indian service in the 1880s. Only during the
Second Boer War in 1902, did the entire British Army standardise on dun for Service Dress. The
Indian Army uniform standardised on dun for khaki.

The service dress consists of a dark green coloured short-sleeved shirt with matching dark green
trousers. Officers can add a four pocket tunic worn over a peach coloured button down shirt and
black tie. The Winter "Angola", meaning Angora wool, version substitutes a light brown/dark khaki
long-sleeved button up shirt. It is accompanied by beret or peaked cap depending on the regiment
the soldier belongs to. Organizational headwear, sashes, belts, spats, medals, lanyards, and other
achievements are added for ceremonial duties. A black version is worn by the Armoured Corps.[176]

The 2006 standard issued camouflage uniform of the Indian Army was the PC-DPM which consists
of French Camouflage Europe Centrale featuring a forest camouflage pattern and is designed for
use in woodland environments being printed on BDU. The Desert variant issued in 2006 was based
on the French Camouflage Daguet printed on BDU, which features a desert camouflage pattern, is
used by artillery and infantry posted in dusty, semi-desert, and desert areas of Rajasthan and its
vicinity. Starting in 2022, a digital pixelated camouflage pattern uniform designed by NIFT has been
adopted, while the uniform style is similar to the US Marine MMCUU uniform.[177][178]

The new camouflage pattern retains the mix of colours including olive green and earthen, and has
been designed keeping in mind aspects like areas of deployment of the troops and climatic
conditions they operate in. According to the officials, the fabric of the new material makes it lighter,
sturdier, more breathable, and more suitable for the different terrains that the soldiers are posted
in.[179]

The new uniform, unlike the old one, has a combat T-shirt worn underneath and a jacket over it. Also,
unlike the older uniform, the shirt will not be tucked in. The jacket has angular top pockets, lower
pockets with vertical openings, knife pleats at the back, a pocket on the left sleeve & a pen holder on
the left forearm, and improved-quality buttons. The trousers will be adjustable at the waist with
elastic and buttons, and has a double layer at the groin. For the caps, the girth will be adjustable,
and the logo of the Army will be of better quality than earlier.

The new uniforms would not be available in the open market. The uniforms will be barcoded and QR
coded to maintain their uniqueness and will be available only through the ordnance chain or military
canteens.[180] To control random proliferation, they will come in over a dozen pre-stitched standard
sizes. The new uniform will be made available in a phased manner to the nearly 1.2 million
personnel of the Indian Army.

The modern Indian Army wears distinctive parade uniforms characterised by variegated turbans and
waist-sashes in regimental colours. The Gurkha and Garhwal Rifles and the Assam, Kumaon, and
Naga Regiments wear broad-brimmed hats of traditional style. Traditionally, all rifle regiments (the
Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, the Garhwal Rifles, all Gorkha Rifles, and the Rajputana Rifles), as well
as the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, wear rank badges, buttons, and wire-embroidered articles
in black, instead of the usual brass (or gold) colour, as the original role of the rifle regiments was
camouflage and concealment.
 Indian Army officer in Soldiers of the Assam Winter camouflage Indian Army Para-
green service uniform Regiment wearing the adopted in 2022 Commando wearing
Angola winter shirt. the PC-DPM based on
a combination of
French French
Camouflage Europe
Centrale printed on
US-style BDU

Senior officer from Indian Army 14th Maratha jawan

Northern Command personnel wearing in ceremonial version
wearing the new NIFT the new uniform of the service dress
Camouflage designed by NIFT

Medals and awards

The medals awarded by the President of India for gallantry displayed on the battlefield, in order of
precedence, are Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, and Vir Chakra.

The medals awarded by the President for gallantry displayed away from the battlefield, in order of
precedence, are Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra, and Shaurya Chakra.

Many of the recipients of these awards have been Indian Army personnel.
Women

All Women contingents from the three

services during Republic day parade
2024

The role of women in the Indian Army began when the Indian Military Nursing Service was formed in
1888. Nurses served in World Wars I and II, where 350 Indian Army nurses either died, were taken
prisoner of war, or declared missing in action; this includes nurses who died when SS Kuala was
sunk by Japanese Bombers in 1942.[181] In 1992, the Indian Army began inducting women officers in
non-medical roles.[182]

Agnipath Recruiting Scheme

The Agnipath Scheme[183] (also spelled Agneepath Scheme) (Hindi: Agnīpath Yojanā, transl.
Agnipath Scheme) is a tour of duty style scheme approved by the Government of India on 14 June
2022 and implemented in the country a few months later in September 2022, for recruitment of
soldiers below the rank of commissioned officers into the three services of the armed forces.[158] All
recruits will be hired only for a four-year period however 25% will be eligible for advancement into
career status.[184] Personnel recruited under this system are to be called Agniveers (transl. Fire-
Warriors), which will be a new military rank.[185][159] The introduction of the scheme has been
criticised for lack of consultation and public debate.[159] Initial training will last six months and the
remaining three years and six months will be service time.[186]

Equipment

Akash Surface to Air Missile

Most of the army equipment is imported, but efforts are being made to manufacture indigenous
equipment. The Defence Research and Development Organisation has developed a range of
weapons for the Indian Army, including small arms, artillery, radars, and the Arjun tank. All Indian
military small-arms are manufactured under the umbrella administration of the Ordnance Factories
Board, with principal firearm manufacturing facilities in Ichhapore, Cossipore, Kanpur, Jabalpur, and
Tiruchirapalli. The Indian Small Arms System (INSAS) rifle, which has been successfully deployed
since 1997, is a product of Rifle Factory Ishapore, while ammunition is manufactured at Khadki, and
possibly at Bolangir.[187][188]

In 2014, Army chief General Bikram Singh said that if given sufficient budget support, the Indian
Army might be able to acquire half the ammunition needed to fight in a major conflict by the next
year.[189]

HAL Rudra

Aircraft

The Army Aviation Corps is the main body of the Indian Army for tactical air transport,
reconnaissance, and medical evacuation, while the Indian Air Force's helicopter assets are
responsible for assisting army troop transport and close air support. The Aviation Corps operates
approximately 150 helicopters. The Indian army had projected a requirement for a helicopter that
can carry loads of up to 750 kilograms (1,650 lb) to heights of 7,000 m (23,000 ft) on the Siachen
Glacier in Jammu and Kashmir. Flying at these heights poses unique challenges due to the rarefied
atmosphere. The Indian Army will induct the HAL Light Utility Helicopter to replace its ageing fleet of
Chetaks and Cheetahs, some of which were deployed more than three decades ago.[190]

On 13 October 2012, the defence minister gave control of attack helicopters to the Indian Army,
which had formerly rested the Indian Air force.[191]

Future developments

The major ongoing weapons programmes of the Indian Army are as follows:
Infantry
F-INSAS is the Indian Army's principal infantry modernisation programme, which aims to
modernise the army's 465 infantry and paramilitary battalions by 2020. The programme aims to
upgrade the infantry to a multi-calibre rifle with an under-barrel grenade launcher, as well as
bulletproof jackets and helmets. The helmet would include a visor, flashlight, thermal sensors,
night vision devices, and a miniature computer with an audio headset. There would also be a new
lightweight and waterproof uniform, which would help the soldier in carrying extra loads and
fighting in an NBC environment.[192]

In 2008, the Cabinet Committee on Security approved raising two new infantry mountain divisions
(with around 15,000 combat soldiers each) and an artillery brigade. These divisions were likely to
be armed with ultralight howitzers.[193] In July 2009, it was reported that the Army was advocating
a new artillery division. The proposed artillery division, to be under the Kolkata-based Eastern
Command, was to have three brigades – two armed with 155 mm howitzers and one with the
Russian "Smerch" and indigenous "Pinaka" multiple-launch rocket systems.[194]

In February 2024, reports emerged for the formation of a new Corps under the Central Command
for deployment along Line of Actual Control (LAC).[195] The XVIII Corps will consist of at least one
division (with around 15,000 to 18,000 combat soldiers each) and three independent brigades.
This includes 14 RAPID Division, 9 Mountain Brigade, 136 Mountain Brigade and 119 Mountain
Brigade. This move will convert HQ Uttar Bharat from a Static Formation into 'Full-fledged Combat
Arm'.[196][197] This move is in a proposal stage in the Army and will be forwarded to the Ministry of
Defence for clearance.[198]

In April 2024, Indian Army proposed two new formations. One of them was the creation of an
"adversial force" acting as opposing force which will represent an enemy force in wargames. The
other one is a "test-bed brigades or formation" which will enhance the efficiency of testing new
weapons for procurement.[199]

The Indian Army is also preparing to form Integrated Battle Groups and replace the traditional
formations of Divisions and Brigades.[200]
Small Arms
The Indian Army has 70,000 Sig Sauer SIG 716 assault rifles on order for its frontline troops
engaged in counter-militancy operations.[201]

To meet the needs of the rest of its soldiers, the army has selected the Russian 7.62 mm AK-203
assault rifle as a "Make in India" project to manufacture 650,000 rifles through a government-to-
government agreement. To be manufactured by Indo-Russia Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL)[202]
 Army has 550 units of indigenous ASMI (for Para SF) submachine guns and another 550 units of
Taurus T9 on order.[203]

Earlier development efforts of the DRDO to meet the Indian Army's small arms requirements—
namely the Excalibur rifle, which was meant to replace the INSAS rifle in service;[204] the Multi
Caliber Individual Weapon System (MCIWS); and the Modern Sub Machine Carbine, a combined
venture of ARDE & OFB to develop an assault carbine for the Indian Army based on a platform of
experiences from the INSAS rifle—have been halted.

Mechanised Forces

Indian Army's Arjun Mark 1 Alpha tank

India is currently re-organising its mechanised forces to achieve strategic mobility and high-
volume firepower for rapid thrusts into enemy territory.

India proposes to progressively deploy as many as 248 Arjun main battle tanks (MBT) and to
develop and deploy the Arjun MK-1A[205] variant, as well as 1,657 Russian-made T-90S MBTs. The
army is procuring 2,000 night vision devices for T-72 tanks, for Rs 10 billion; 1,200 for T-90 tanks,
for Rs 9.60 billion; and 1,780 for infantry combat vehicles, for Rs 8.60 billion.

It is also acquiring 700 TISAS (thermal imaging stand-alone systems) and 418 TIFACS (thermal
fire control systems) for its T-72 fleet, at a cost of around $230 million. 300 Israeli TISAS were
installed as part of several T-72 upgrade phases, followed by 3,860 image intensifier-based night-
vision devices. 310 Russian produced T-90S Main Battle Tanks were also fitted with French
Catherine TI cameras.[206][207]

Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV): Indian Army will issue an Request for Proposal to purchase
1,770 next generation tanks to replace T-72s from 2030 onwards. 590 units to be inducted in first
phase. Deployment will be carried out in three phases. Features includes AI, drone integration,
active protection system, network centric operation, etc.[208][209]

Zorawar LT: Light tanks (under 25 tonnes) developed especially for deployment in mountainous
terrain. 59 ordered, 295 more planned.[208]

Futuristic Main Battle Tank (FMBT) – Upgraded version of Arjun Mk 1A. Fourth Generation MBT. It
will be a 50 tonne tank powered by an indigenous 1,500 hp or 1,800 hp engine. At the conceptual
stage.
 Abhay IFV – Future Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV). Intended to replace BMP II in Indian Army.

TATA Kestrel – A modern armoured personnel carrier (APC) developed by Tata Motors and the
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It was developed to replace old Soviet-
era infantry fighting vehicles (BMP) and APCs in service with the Indian army. Army has a
requirement of 198 units.[210]
Aviation

HAL Light Utility Helicopter

Boeing AH-64 Apache: 6 on order. 11 more planned.[211]

HAL Prachand (LCH): 90 cleared for induction.[212]

HAL Light Utility Helicopter (LUH): 6 LSP ordered, 90 initially planned. To replace Chetak and
Cheetah.[213]
Missiles
Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles
Prahaar (missile) – With a range of 150 km (90 mi).[214]

Agni P- Also known as Agni Prime. 1,000 km (620 mi)–2,000 km (1,200 mi) range. To replace
Agni-I.[215]

Agni-IV – Also known as the Agni-II prime in the earlier times, it has an effective range of
4000 km and a cruise altitude of 900 km.

Agni-V – 7,000 km (4,300 mi)–8,000 km (5,000 mi) Successfully tested in MIRV configuration
on 11 March 2024.[216]

Agni-VI – 10,000 km (6,200 mi)–12,000 km (7,500 mi) range with MIRVed warheads.
Currently in planning stage.

Cruise Missiles
Hypersonic cruise missile

Nirbhay Missile

BrahMos NG
 Advanced Air Defence (AAD)
missile launch, 2008

Anti-Tank Guided Missiles

Nag Anti-tank guided missile – ground and air-launched variant.

The Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme is an initiative to develop and deploy a multi-
layered ballistic missile defence system to protect India from ballistic missile attacks. It is a
double-tiered system. Phase 1 development is complete, which consists of Prithvi Air Defence
(PAD), Advanced Air Defence (AAD), Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV) and Prithvi Defence Vehicle Mk
2 missiles. Phase 2 missiles are in the trial phase.[217]
Artillery

307 Advanced towed artillery gun

system to be acquired.

Under the Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan (FARP) of 2010, the army plans to procure 3000 to
4000 units of artillery at the cost of ₹200 billion (US$2 billion). This includes purchasing 1580
towed, 814 mounted, 180 self-propelled wheeled, 100 self-propelled tracked, and 145 ultra-light
155 mm/39 calibre guns. The requirement for artillery guns would be met with indigenous
development and production.[218]
Towed Guns - 114 Dhanush ordered (18 delivered), 307 ATAGS planned, 1,200 155 mm L/52
howitzers planned.[219][220][221]

Mounted Guns - 200 105 mm L/37 howitzers and 814 155 mm L/52 howitzers
planned.[220][222]

Self propelled tracked guns - 100 K-9 Vajra-T delivered, 100 on order; another 100
planned.[220]
 Ultra light howitzer - 145 M777 guns delivered.[223]
Vehicles
Tata Motors offers a full range of 6×6, 8×8, and 12×12 multi-purpose high mobility carriers,
designed especially for integrating specialist rocket and missile systems. The Tata 2038 6×6
vehicle platform has, after rigorous field-firing evaluation trials, been qualified by the Indian Army
to carry the GRAD BM21 Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) application.

Mahindra Axe – Light utility vehicle to be purchased.

The army needs 3,000 light support vehicles and 1600 heavy motor vehicles for mounting rockets
and radar, and for reconnaissance and transportation, at a cost of Rs 15 billion.[224]

See also

Centre for Land Warfare Studies

List of serving generals of the Indian Army

Paramilitary forces of India

Army Day (India)

Indian National Army

Indian Army United Nations peacekeeping missions

Army Red Football Club

Army Green Football Club

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