Indian Armed Forces
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 Emblem |
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| Military manpower | |
|---|---|
| Total armed forces | 2,414,700 (Ranked 3rd) |
| Active troops | 1,414,000 (Ranked 3rd) |
| Total troops | 3,773,300 (Ranked 6th) |
| Paramilitary forces | 1,089,700 |
| Conscription age | 16 years of age |
| Availability | males age 15-49: 287,551,111 (2005 est.) |
| Fit for military service | males age 18-49: 219,471,999 (2005 est.) |
| Reaching conscription age annually | males: 11,446,452 (2005 est.) |
| Military expenditures | |
| USD figure | 25.97(nominal),100 billion (ppp) billion US $ (2006 est.) [4] |
| Percent of GDP | 1.97% (2004 est.) [5] |
| Components | |
| Indian Army |  |
| Indian Air Force |  |
| Indian Navy |  |
| Indian Coast Guard |  |
| Indian Paramilitary Forces | |
| Strategic Nuclear Command | |
| History | |
| Military history of India | |
| British Indian Army | |
| Indian National Army | |
| Ranks | |
| Air Force ranks and insignia of India | |
| Army ranks and insignia of India | |
| Naval ranks and insignia of India | |
| Related Info | |
| Aircraft of the Indian Air Force | |
| List of Indian divisions in WWII | |
| Regiments of the Indian Army | |
The Indian Armed Forces, is the primary military organization responsible for the territorial security and defense of India. The President of India serves as the supreme commander of the armed forces, which are subordinate and responsible to the Government of India headed by the Prime Minister of India. The armed forces are administered by the Ministry of Defense and are composed of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. Auxiliary services include the Coast Guard, the Indian Paramilitary Forces and the Strategic Forces Command.
All service personnel are volunteers although the government is empowered to undertake conscription if considered necessary for India's defense. However, India has never had conscription, even during the Indo-Pakistani Wars and the Sino-Indian War. The armed forces draw many of its service personnel from communities maintaining a long-standing military tradition. Retaining much of the organizational structure established by the British, the armed forces continue to face challenges from aging weaponry and equipment and relying on foreign purchases of military equipment. However, the armed forces are an essential character of India's strategic importance, power and capabilities, which have increased after India became a declared nuclear weapons state.
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[edit] History
Although India has a long military history, the modern armed forces were raised under the British Raj in the 19th century. The Army of India, as the armed force was known during the British Raj, fought in both World Wars. During World War II, the Army of India played a crucial role in checking the advance of the Empire of Japan and also fought in several battles against Axis forces in northern Africa and Italy.
The Indian armed forces succeeded the Military of British India following India's independence in 1947. The Indian armed forces has fought in all three wars against Pakistan and a war with People's Republic of China. India also fought in the Kargil War against Pakistan in 1999. The Indian Armed Forces have participated in several United Nations peacekeeping operations and are presently the second largest contributor of troops to the peacekeeping force. The Indian armed forces have the third highest headcount in the world and altogether maintains the third largest armed force in the world.
[edit] Organization and command structure
The headquarters of the Indian Armed Forces is in New Delhi, the capital city of India. From New Delhi, the armed force are split into different groups based on their region of operation. The Indian Army, for example, is run from its headquarters in New Delhi where it is under the control of the Chief of Army Staff. At the Indian Army's headquarters, the army is divided into 7 tactical commands, each under the control of different Lieutenant Generals.
[edit] Structure of the Indian Army
The Indian Army fields 34 divisions. Its headquarters is located in the Indian capital New Delhi and it is under the overall command of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), currently General Joginder Jaswant Singh.
The army operates 6 tactical commands and one training command known as ARTRAC. Each command is headed by General Officer Commanding-in-Chief with the rank of Lieutenant General. Each command is directly affiliated to the Army HQ in New Delhi.
There are 3 types of Corps in the Indian Army: Strike, Holding & Mixed. A Command generally consists of 2 or more Corps. A corps has many more army divisions under its control. The Corps HQ is the highest field formation in the army.
Other field formations include: Divisions, Brigades, Battalions, Companies, Platoons, and Sections.
These are several Battalions or Units under the same formation in a Regiment. The Gurkha Regiment, for instance, has several battalions. All formations under a Regiment are battalions of the same arms or Corps (i.e. Infantry, or Engineers). Regiments are not exactly field formations in the sense they mostly do not make a formation. For instance, all Regiments of the Gurkha's would not fight together as one formation, but can be dispersed over various Brigades or Corps or even Commands.
In addition, the Indian Army has 63 Armoured Regiments, see List of Armoured Regiments in the Indian Army.
The Regiment of Artillery constitutes a formidable operational arm of Indian Army. Historically, it takes its lineage from Moghul Emperor Babur, who is popularly credited with introduction of artillery to India in the Battle of Panipat in 1526. However, evidence of earlier use of guns by Bahmani Kings in the Battle of Adoni in 1368 and King Mohammed Shah of Gujrat in fifteenth century have been recorded.
[edit] Rank Structure
The highest ranking Commissioned Officer is the Field Marshall and only two have been awarded this rank so far. The rank of General is held by the Chief of Army Staff, followed by Lieutenant-General, Major-General, Brigadier, Colonel, Lieutenant-Colonel, Major, Captain, and finally the Lieutenant.
Among the Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs), the ranks are organized from Honorary Captain (given to Outstanding JCO's Rank and pay of a Captain), Honorary Lieutenant (given to Outstanding JCO's Rank and pay of a Lieutenant), Subedar Major, Subedar to Naib Subedar.
Finally, among the Non-commissioned Officers (NCOs), the ranks are organized from Company Havildar Major, Company Quarter Master Havildar, Havildar, Naik, Lance Naik to the Sepoy.
[edit] Structure of the Indian Navy
[edit] Structure of the Indian Air-Force
[edit] Recruitment and training
Recruitment is through three military related academies. These include the National Defence Academy, Indian Military Academy and Officers Training Academy. For entrance, one must display that they are both physically and mentally fit to be in the military by sitting examinations and undergoing medical checkups. The complete list of institutions training Indian army were listed in Military_academies_in_India section.
[edit] Indian Army
[edit] Strength
| Indian Army statistics | |
| Active Troops | 13,00,000 |
| Artillery | 31500 |
| Aircraft | 52 squadrons of helicopters |
| Surface-to-air missiles | 90000 |
* includes 300,000 1st line troops and 500,000 2nd line troops
** includes 40,000 1st line troops and 160,000 2nd line troops
The Indian Army is the world's second largest army in terms of military personnel (after China). It is a completely voluntary service, the military draft never having been imposed in India. The army has rich combat experience in diverse terrains, considering India's diversity on this front, and also has a distinguished history of serving in United Nations peacekeeping operations.
The force is headed by the Chief of Army Staff, currently General J.J. Singh. The highest rank in the Indian Army is Field Marshal, but it is a largely ceremonial rank and appointments are made by the President of India, on the advice of the Union Cabinet of Ministers, only in exceptional circumstances. (See Field Marshal (India)). General S.H.F.J. Manekshaw and the late General K.M. Cariappa are the only two officers who have attained this rank.
The Indian Army has seen military action in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965,the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, and others such as Operation Polo in 1948, the Sino-Indian War in 1962 over the McMahon Line, and the Kargil War against Kashmiri insurgents and the Pakistan military personnel
Currently, the Indian army has dedicated one brigade of troops to the UN's standby arrangements. Through its large, sustained troop commitments India has come in for much praise for taking part in difficult operations for prolonged periods.
The Indian Army has participated in several UN peace-keeping operations, including the ones in Cyprus, Lebanon, Congo, Angola, Cambodia, Vietnam, Namibia, El Salvador, Liberia, Mozambique & Somalia. The army also provided a paramedical unit to facilitate the withdrawal of the sick and wounded in Korea.
[edit] War heroes
- Lt. Nawang Kapadia
- Major Navneet Vats
- Major Rajesh Singh Adhikari, MVC
- Lance Naik Ahmed Ali [7]
- Lieutenant Kieshing Clifford Nongrum [8]
[edit] Indian Navy
The Indian Navy is the world's fifth largest navy, in terms of manpower[1]. The navy is considered to have blue-water capabilities. It is fairly advanced in terms of technology and is in control of one of two Asian aircraft carriers. Two more aircraft carriers are on order and will be joining the Indian Navy. The ships of the Indian Navy are of Indian and foreign origin.[2] The Indian Navy is expanding and is constructing fifty ships of various sizes, of which thirty seven ships are being built in Indian shipyards. The submarine fleet will become strengthened by the induction of Scorpene class submarines, Advanced Technology Vessel and the Akula class of submarines.
The Indian Navy in its maritime doctrine mentions about its role to provide support to maritime neighbours during the time of natural calamities. This was demonstrated during the Asian tsunami crisis during which the Indian Navy was able to send thirty five ships and also aircrafts and helicopters. The Indian navy has taken part in U.N missions in the coast of Somalia and also has provided security to African Union summit held in Mozambique.
[edit] Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the fourth largest air force in the world [3][4]. In its history, it has generally relied on Soviet technology to support its growth. However, in recent times, India has begun building its own original aircraft, including the HAL Tejas. It is still cooperating with the Russian Federation to upgrade its air technology.
[edit] Indian Paramilitary Forces
[edit] Indian Nuclear Power
[edit] Nuclear doctrine
The Indian military possesses many nuclear weapons and sufficient means — by means of missiles and aircraft — to deliver these over long distances. However, India has a nuclear no-first-use policy and it is also the only country in the world to date to have such policy. It also maintains a nuclear doctrine based on credible minimum deterrence. India is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), arguing that it unfairly favours the established nuclear powers: While the treaty places restrictions on the non-nuclear weapons states, it does little to curb the modernization and expansion of the nuclear arsenals of the nuclear weapons states; it provides no provision for complete nuclear disarmament.
[edit] Gallantry awards
The highest wartime gallantry award given by the Military of India is the Param Vir Chakra (PVC), followed by the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) and the Vir Chakra (VrC). Its peacetime equivalent is the Ashoka Chakra. The highest decoration for meritorious service is the Param Vishisht Seva Medal.
[edit] Future
Several reports have mentioned that the Indian military will be an even greater force to reckon with in the future given the twin advantage of economic growth and an increasing population. Analyses by the Central Intelligence Agency indicates that India is projected to possess the fourth most capable concentration of power by 2015. [5] According to a report published by the US Congress, India is the developing world's leading arms purchaser[6].
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ Project Seabird
- ^ Global Security The Indian Navy
- ^ GlobalSecurity.org
- ^ Indian Air Force website
- ^ INDIA IN THE INDIAN OCEAN by Donald L. Berlin Naval War College Review, Spring 2006, Vol. 59, No. 2
- ^ [1]
^ Does not include members of the Indian Police Service
[edit] References
- CIA World Factbook 2005: India
- Militarism in India: The Army and Civil Society in Consensus- by A. Kundu
[edit] External links
- BharatRakshak.com- Informative site on the Indian Military
- Indian Armed Forces - Indian military's official website
- Indian Air Force - Official website
- Indian Military Build-up TIME.com
- Frontier India Journal- IAF Section
- Indian Defence News Service
- Armed forces equipment development in India
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