Indian Army

Indian Army
Unit name	Indian Army
Caption	Flag of the Indian Army
Founded	1 April 1895 (as British Indian Army)
Current form	15 August 1947
Country	India
Type	Army
Role	Land warfare
Size	~1.2 million active personnel
Command structure	Ministry of Defence (India)
Headquarters	New Delhi
Motto	"Service Before Self"
Anniversaries	Army Day (15 January)
Equipment	See List of equipment of the Indian Army
Battles	World War I, World War II, Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, Sino-Indian War, Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Kargil War, Operation Parakram
Commander1	President of India
Commander1 label	Commander-in-Chief
Commander2	Chief of the Army Staff (India)
Commander2 label	Professional Head
Notable commanders	Kodandera Madappa Cariappa, Sam Manekshaw, Krishnaswamy Sundarji

Indian Army. The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. Its primary mission is to ensure national security and unity, defend the nation from external aggression and internal threats, and maintain peace and security within its borders. Tracing its origins to the armies of the East India Company, it was formally established as the British Indian Army and became the national army after Indian independence in 1947.

History

The army's origins lie in the forces of the Presidencies of the East India Company, which were consolidated after the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and placed under the British Crown. The British Indian Army fought in major global conflicts including World War I and World War II, with notable campaigns in Mesopotamia, Gallipoli, North Africa, and Burma. Following Partition and independence in 1947, the army was divided between the new dominions of India and Pakistan, leading immediately to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 over Kashmir. It has since fought further major wars, including the Sino-Indian War of 1962, the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, the decisive Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 which led to the creation of Bangladesh, and the Kargil War in 1999. Key figures in its post-independence history include the first Indian Commander-in-Chief, Kodandera Madappa Cariappa, and the legendary Sam Manekshaw, architect of the 1971 victory.

Organization

The Indian Army operates under the overall authority of the Ministry of Defence (India), with the President of India as the ceremonial Commander-in-Chief. The professional head is the Chief of the Army Staff (India), based at Army Headquarters in New Delhi. The army is organized into seven operational commands: Northern Command, Western Command, Eastern Command, Southern Command, Central Command, South Western Command, and the Army Training Command. The primary field formations are Corps, each comprising multiple Divisions and Brigades. Specialized forces include the Parachute Regiment (which contains Special Forces units), the Mechanised Infantry Regiment, and the Armoured Corps.

Personnel and training

With approximately 1.2 million active personnel, it is one of the world's largest standing armies. Personnel are recruited through a voluntary system, with officers commissioned primarily through the National Defence Academy, Indian Military Academy, and Officers Training Academy. Junior commissioned officers and other ranks are recruited via rallies conducted by the Army Recruiting Office. Training is conducted at premier institutions like the Infantry School in Mhow, the Army War College, and the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School. The army also maintains a significant number of Territorial Army units, comprising citizen-soldiers.

Equipment and technology

The army fields a diverse inventory of domestically produced and imported equipment. Its main battle tanks include the indigenous Arjun and the Russian-origin T-90 and T-72. Infantry combat vehicles are led by the BMP-2 Sarath. Artillery modernization includes the Dhanush howitzer and the M777 howitzer. The army is enhancing its network-centric warfare capabilities through systems like the Tactical Communication System (TCS). It also operates a large fleet of utility and attack helicopters, such as the HAL Dhruv and the AH-64 Apache, under the command of the Army Aviation Corps.

Operations and deployments

Beyond conventional warfare, the army is continuously deployed in counter-insurgency and internal security roles, most notably in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeastern states. It has also undertaken major humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, such as during the 2004 Tsunami and the 2013 Uttarakhand floods. The army is a significant contributor to United Nations peacekeeping missions, with deployments in countries like Congo, Lebanon, and South Sudan. Major military exercises, such as Yudh Abhyas with the United States and Indra with Russia, are regularly conducted.

Role and responsibilities

The army's constitutional role is to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India against external threats. This includes guarding the nation's extensive borders with Pakistan and the Line of Control, and with China along the Line of Actual Control. Its internal security responsibilities, often in aid to the civil authority, include counter-insurgency operations and assisting during natural disasters. The army also plays a key role in nation-building projects in remote areas and supports the Central Armed Police Forces when required to maintain public order.

Category:Indian Army Category:Military of India Category:Land forces