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129-517: The Army Training Command , abbreviated as ARTRAC , is one of the seven commands of the Indian Army . It is currently based at Shimla . It was established in 1991. The Army Training Command was established on 1 October 1991 at Mhow in Madhya Pradesh and moved to Shimla on 31 March 1993. The main aim of the command is to maximize effectiveness of the training. In 2020, it was decided to merge

258-456: A System ( F-INSAS ), and is also upgrading and acquiring new assets for its armoured, artillery, and aviation branches. 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"; the "British Army in India" referred to British Army units posted to India for

387-468: A chain of command. Soldiers and officers are transferred in and out of divisions as required. Some regiments recruited from specific geographical areas, and usually incorporated the place name into the regimental name (e.g. Bangladesh Infantry Regiment ). In other cases, regiments would recruit from a given age group within a nation (e.g. Zulu Impis ), an ethnic group (e.g. the Gurkhas ), or foreigners (e.g.

516-527: 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

645-717: 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

774-621: A legacy of the British Indian army during the years when the British ruled India before 15 August 1947. Each infantry regiment may have one or more battalions, while cavalry, armour and artillery regiments are single-battalion formations. There are regimental headquarters (called as a centre) for each regiment. Each regiment of infantry is commanded by a colonel and assisted by a lieutenant colonel. The Irish Army field artillery units are called regiments. They are divided into batteries and together

903-650: A major component of national power, alongside the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force . 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

1032-655: 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

1161-435: 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. 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

1290-582: 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. This practice gave rise to the term oropolitics . India, possibly irked by these developments, launched Operation Meghdoot in April 1984. An entire battalion of

1419-485: A previously existing continental system usually do not succeed. The system presents difficulties for military planners, who must deal with the problems of trying to keep soldiers of a regiment together throughout their careers and of administering separate garrisons, training and mess facilities. The regimental community of serving and retired members often makes it very difficult for planners to restructure forces by moving, merging or re-purposing units. In those armies where

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1548-575: 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

1677-606: 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

1806-437: 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. As of 30 June 2014 , 157 Indians have been killed during such missions. The Indian army has also provided paramedical units to facilitate

1935-419: A single entity of up to 1,000 troopers. A notable exception to this practice was the British line infantry system where the two regular battalions constituting a regiment alternated between "home" and "foreign" service and seldom came together as a single unit. In the regimental system, each regiment is responsible for recruiting, training, and administration; each regiment is permanently maintained and therefore

2064-403: A situation, co-ordination between regiments is rarely necessary, and the esprit de corps of the regiment provides an emotional substitute for the sense of public approval that an army receives at home. This is particularly relevant to British experience during the days of the empire , where the army was virtually continuously engaged in low-intensity conflict with insurgents, and full-scale warfare

2193-477: A symbolic colonel-in-chief (often a member of the royal family), a colonel of the regiment or "honorary colonel" who protects the traditions and interests of the regimental family and insists on the maintenance of high standards, battle honours (honours earned by one unit of an administrative regiment are credited to the regiment), ceremonial uniforms, cap badges , peculiarities of insignia, stable belts , and regimental marches and songs. The regiment usually has

2322-661: A total of 150-190 tanks during the conflict. 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. The 1967 Sino-Indian skirmish, also known as

2451-699: A tour of duty. The "Army of India" meant the combined Indian Army and the British Army in India. In 1776, a Military Department was created within the government of the East India Company at Calcutta . Its main function was to record orders that were issued to the army by various departments of the East India Company for the territories under its control. With the Charter Act of 1833, the Secretariat of

2580-452: A traditional "home station" or regimental depot , which is often a historic garrison that houses the regimental museum and regimental headquarters. The latter has a modest staff to support regimental committees and administer both the regular members and the association(s) of retired members. The regimental system is generally admired for the esprit de corps it engenders in its units' members, but efforts to implement it in countries with

2709-550: Is but one administrative infantry regiment in the regular army: the Royal Australian Regiment , consisting of all seven regular infantry battalions in the Army. The Australian Army Reserve also has state-based infantry regiments which administer the reserve infantry battalions. In Pakistan, the word regiment is an administrative grouping. While individual battalions may have different roles (for example different battalions of

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2838-643: 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. Immediately after independence, tensions between India and Pakistan erupted into

2967-530: Is changed to meet the tasks at hand. Because of their permanent nature, many regiments have long histories, often going back for centuries: the oldest British regiment still in existence is the Royal Jersey Militia , established in 1337 although historically the Jersey Militia are referred to as a regiment it is disputed that they are in fact a corps. The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) , formed in 1572,

3096-658: Is recruited. This sense of community 'ownership' over local regiments can be seen in the public outcry over recent regimental amalgamations in the United Kingdom. On the other hand, recruitment from a single community can lead to a concentrated and potentially devastating local impact if the regiment takes heavy casualties. Further, the regimental system offers the advantage of grouping like units together for centralized administrative, training, and logistical purposes, thereby creating an " economies of scale " effect and its ensuing increased efficiency. An illustrative example of this

3225-590: Is the modular integration employed by the United States Marine Corps , which can take elements from its regimentally grouped forces and specifically tailor combined arms task forces for a particular mission or the deployed Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU). This is achievable partially because of the Marines mission adaptability, flexibility, philosophy, shared culture, history and overall esprit de corps, which allows for near seamless interoperability. In

3354-722: 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

3483-723: The British Army and armies modelled on it (such as the Australian , the New Zealand , the Canadian , the Pakistani , Bangladeshi , Myanmar and the Indian armies), the term regiment is used in two different ways: it can mean an administrative identity and grouping, or a tactical unit. In the former Dominion of Newfoundland , "Regiment" was used to describe the entirety of the fighting armed forces,

3612-417: The British Army consisted of more than one tactical regiment. The Royal Tank Regiment until 2014 had two (1 and 2 RTR), and once had many more. They were all amalgamated into a single regiment. All of a nation's artillery units are considered part of a single administrative regiment, but there are typically several tactical artillery regiments. They are designated by numbers, names or both. For example,

3741-819: 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. The Chinese Army left Sikkim after this defeat. Under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi , during

3870-691: The French Foreign Legion ). In other cases, new regiments were raised for new functions within an army; e.g. the Fusiliers , the Parachute Regiment (British Army), U.S. Army 75th Ranger Regiment , and the Light Reaction Regiment ( Philippine Army ) . Disadvantages of the regimental system are hazardous regimental competition, a lack of interchangeability between units of different regiments, and more pronounced " old boy networks " within

3999-464: The Frontier Force Regiment may be mechanized infantry, paratroop infantry, or mountain troops), the regiment is considered to encompass all of them. The modern British regimental system came about as a result of the 19th century Cardwell Reforms . In the British Army , for most purposes, the regiment is the largest "permanent" organisational unit. Above regimental level, the organisation

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4128-673: The Indian Armed Forces . The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, 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

4257-640: The Indian National Army , which was allied with the Empire of Japan . It was raised by a former colonel of the Indian Army, General Mohan Singh, but was later led by Subhas Chandra Bose and Rash Bihari Bose . With the fall of Singapore in 1942, about 40,000 Indian soldiers were captured. When given the choice, over 30,000 joined the Indian National Army. Those who refused became POWs and were mostly shipped to New Guinea. After initial success, this army

4386-670: The Indian National Congress in return for its support but reneged on them after the war, following which the Indian Independence movement gained strength. The " Indianisation " of the Indian Army began with the formation of the Prince of Wales Royal Indian Military College at Dehradun, in March 1912, to provide education to the scions of aristocratic and well-to-do Indian families and to prepare selected Indian boys for admission into

4515-816: 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 km (1,000 sq mi) of territory claimed by Pakistan was under Indian control. 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 . However, they were repulsed by Indian Army personnel guarding Bilafond. During

4644-572: The Pakistan Army , several regiments have over 50 battalions. In Canada, the regiment is a formation of one or more units; existing almost exclusively for reasons of heritage, the continuance of battle honors and esprit de corps . The three regular force infantry regiments each consist of three regular force battalions of approximately 600 soldiers, in addition to one or more reserve battalions. Canadian battalions are employed tactically and administratively within brigade groups . In Australia, there

4773-475: The Royal Engineers , Royal Corps of Signals , Army Air Corps , Royal Logistic Corps , and Royal Military Police . 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

4902-577: The Royal Military College, Sandhurst . Cadets were given a King's commission, after passing out, and were posted to one of the eight units selected for Indianisation. Because of the slow pace of Indianisation, with just 69 officers being commissioned between 1918 and 1932, political pressure was applied, leading to the formation of the Indian Military Academy in 1932 and greater numbers of officers of Indian origin being commissioned. On

5031-625: The Royal Newfoundland Regiment . In the Commonwealth countries listed above, the large administrative regiment has been the normal practice for many years. In the case of India, "large regiments" of four to five battalions date from 1923 and, since the 1950s, many of these have expanded even further. As an example, the Punjab Regiment of the Indian Army has expanded from four battalions in 1956 to its present strength of 20, while, in

5160-783: The Swedish Life Guards (1521), the British Honourable Artillery Company (1537) and the King's Own Immemorial Regiment of Spain, first established in 1248 during the conquest of Seville by King Ferdinand the Saint . In the 17th century, brigades were formed as units combining infantry, cavalry, and artillery that were more effective than the older, single-arms regiments; in many armies, brigades replaced regiments. Organisation and numbers did not follow any standardised pattern between or within armies during this period, with

5289-518: The United Jihad Council (an umbrella group for all extremists) rejected Pakistan's plan for a draw-down, deciding instead to fight on. 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

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5418-460: 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

5547-473: 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. The army was also assisted by a brigade of para commandos and the Indian paramilitary . The operation

5676-570: The Armoured Corps, the traditional administrative "regiment" tends to play more of a ceremonial role, while in practice, its members are administered by their corps or "branch" as in the Artillery. Thus soldiers and officers can serve in many different "regiments", changing hat badges without too much concern during their career. Indeed, in the artillery, all regiments wear the same badge. The British Army also has battalion-sized tactical regiments of

5805-872: The Basic Airborne Course. They, later-on, undergo the Special Forces Operations Course - an eight-month course that equips each SF soldier in the basics of Special Forces and unconventional warfare operations. Each member of the SF Regiment may opt to undergo specialty courses as well after finishing the Special Forces basic course. These include, but is not limited to, training in demolitions and bomb disposal (EOD), psychological warfare operations (PSYOPS), riverine operations including combat diving, intelligence operations, weapons, medics, as well as VIP security training in preparation for reassignment with

5934-475: 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,

6063-626: The British Army to a new century. In the 20th century, the Indian Army was a crucial adjunct to the forces of the British Empire in both world wars . 1.3 million Indian soldiers served in World War I (1914–1918) with the Allies , in which 74,187 Indian troops were killed or missing in action. In 1915 there was a mutiny by Indian soldiers in Singapore. The United Kingdom made promises of self-governance to

6192-441: The Directorate General of Military Training (DGMT) with ARTRAC. DGMT runs the Rashtriya Military Schools (RMS). Its roles are to: This military article about the Indian Armed Forces is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Indian Army 1 April 1895 ; 129 years ago  ( 1895-04-01 ) ( as British Indian Army ) The Indian Army is the land-based branch and largest component of

6321-422: 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. During

6450-457: The Indian Army formed the land component of the Armed Forces of the Crown of India, responsible for the defence of the Indian Empire. 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. The primary mission of

6579-401: 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

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6708-502: 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. The biggest tank battle of

6837-435: The Indian Army was spending an estimated US$ 2 million a month to support its personnel stationed in the region. 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

6966-417: 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. India's massive early gains were attributed largely to

7095-416: The Indian Army. Goa, Daman, and Diu became a part of the Republic of India. 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

7224-482: 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. In addition, Pakistan lost 220 tanks during

7353-439: 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 . 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

7482-452: The Middle East. Some 87,000 Indian soldiers died in the war. By the end of the war, it had become the largest volunteer army in history, rising to over 2.5 million men in August 1945. In the African and Middle East campaigns , captured Indian troops were given a choice to join the German Army , to eventually "liberate" India from Britain, instead of being sent to POW camps . These men, along with Indian students who were in Germany when

7611-467: The North West Frontier), Bengal, Madras (including Burma), and Bombay (including Sind, Quetta and Aden). The Indian Army was a critical force for maintaining the primacy of the British Empire , both in India and throughout the world. Besides maintaining internal security, the Army fought in many other theatres: Third Anglo-Afghan war; the Boxer Rebellion in China; in Abyssinia and in the First and Second World Wars . The Kitchener Reforms brought

7740-439: 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

7869-399: The Pakistani forces had a clear line-of-sight to lay down indirect artillery fire on NH 1A, inflicting heavy casualties on the Indians. This was a serious problem for the Indian Army as the highway was its main supply route. 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. This

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7998-409: 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

8127-447: The Presidential Security Group. The basic combat organization of the Special Forces is the 12-man Special Forces Team. An SF Team will have at least one of each SF MOS present in the team. The Light Reaction Regiment is the premier counter-terrorist unit of the Philippine Army. It was formerly known as the Light Reaction Battalion and Light Reaction Company. Due to its specialization in counter-terrorism operations and its formation with

8256-444: 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. 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). In 2004,

8385-401: The attack was claimed by a Pakistan -based militant group, Jaish-e-Mohammed . India blamed Pakistan for the attack and promised a robust response, while the latter condemned the attack and denied having any connection to it. Twelve days later, in the early morning of 26 February 2019, India carried out a cross-border airstrike near Balakot , Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , Pakistan. After over

8514-437: The battle compared to India's 69. 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. 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

8643-462: The battle, about 23 Indian soldiers lost their lives, while more than 150 Pakistani troops perished. Further unsuccessful attempts to reclaim positions were launched by Pakistan in 1990, 1995, 1996, and 1999, most notably in Kargil in the latter year. 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 . The highest peak in

8772-399: The battle, about 66 Pakistani tanks were destroyed and 40 more were captured. Pakistani forces destroyed only 11 Indian tanks. 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

8901-474: The casualty figures variously from 35 to 70 killed. Partial footage of the strikes was released to the Indian media on 27 June 2018 as proof of the strike. 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. Following the 14 February 2019 Pulwama attack in Jammu and Kashmir , which killed 40 Indian Central Reserve Police Force personnel. Responsibility for

9030-518: The conflict stood at about 3,000. 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. 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". Indian media reported

9159-438: The continental system exists, the regimental system is criticised as parochial and as creating unnecessary rivalry between different regiments. The question is also raised as to whether it is healthy to develop soldiers more loyal to their regiment than to the military in general. Regiments recruited from areas of political ferment (such as Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Quebec , India, etc.), tend to perform particularly well because of

9288-422: The continental system, the division is the functional army unit, and its commander is the administrator of every aspect of the formation : his staff train and administer the soldiers, officers, and commanders of the division's subordinate units. Generally, divisions are garrisoned together and share the same installations: thus, in divisional administration, a battalion commanding officer is just another officer in

9417-546: The day-to-day functioning of a battalion – they can replace the commanding officer but will not micro-manage the unit. The regimental sergeant major is another key figure, responsible to the CO for unit discipline and the behaviour of the NCOs. It should, however, be noted that amalgamations beginning in the late 1950s and ending in 2006 have diluted the British regimental system through the now almost universal adoption of "large regiments" for

9546-422: The division level are permanent regiments that are responsible for their own recruiting and training. 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 , with 1,237,117 active troops and 960,000 reserve troops. The army has embarked on an infantry modernisation program known as Futuristic Infantry Soldier As

9675-544: The end of the Second World War have usually consisted of a single tactical regiment. During the 1960s, three Canadian regiments had both regular and militia components, which were disbanded shortly after unification in 1968. Currently, one regiment is organised with two tactical regiments, 12 Régiment blindé du Canada and 12 Régiment blindé du Canada (Milice) are both part of the administrative regiment 12 Régiment blindé du Canada . One administrative armoured regiment of

9804-621: The end of the 17th century, infantry regiments in most European armies were permanent units, with approximately 800 men and commanded by a colonel . During the modern era, the word "regiment" – much like " corps " – may have two somewhat divergent meanings, which refer to two distinct roles: In many armies, the first role has been assumed by independent battalions , battlegroups , task forces , brigades and other, similarly sized operational units. However, these non-regimental units tend to be short-lived; and regiments have tended to retain their traditional responsibilities for ceremonial duties,

9933-584: The end of the campaign or war; the colonel and his regiment might recruit from and serve several monarchs or countries. Later, it was customary to name the regiment by its precedence in the line of battle , and to recruit from specific places, called cantons . The oldest regiments which still exist, and their dates of establishment, include the French 1st Infantry Regiment (1479), the Spanish 9th Infantry Regiment “Soria” (1505), originally called Tercio de Nápoles ),

10062-422: The eve of World War II , the officer corps consisted of roughly 500 Indians holding regular commissions against approximately 3,000 British officers. In World War II Indian soldiers fought alongside the Allies . In 1939, British officials had no plan for expansion and training of Indian forces, which comprised about 130,000 men (in addition there were 44,000 men in British units in India in 1939), whose mission

10191-544: The exception of The Irish Regiment of Canada , which has a 2nd Battalion only). Until after the Second World War , every regiment had at least two battalions. Traditionally, the regular battalions were the 1st and 2nd Battalions, the militia (later Special Reserve) battalion was the 3rd Battalion, and the Army Reserve battalions were the 4th Battalion, the 5th Battalion and up. A few regiments had up to four regular battalions and more than one militia battalion, which disrupted

10320-476: The exchange of prisoners of war and was headed by Lieutenant General K. S. Thimayya . 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

10449-501: 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,

10578-518: 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. 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

10707-418: 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 ,

10836-406: The government of the East India Company was reorganised into four departments, including a Military Department. The army in the presidencies of Bengal , Bombay and Madras functioned as respective Presidency Armies until 1 April 1895, when they were unified into a single force known as the Indian Army . For administrative convenience, it was divided into four commands, namely Punjab (including

10965-537: 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. 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

11094-538: The heights under their control, which also included the Tiger Hill , overlooked the vital Srinagar – Leh Highway ( NH 1A ), Batalik , and Dras . 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 ,

11223-532: The infantry of the Army. As of 2014, only thirteen line infantry regiments survive, each comprising up to six of the former battalions that previously had separate regimental status. Only the five Guards regiments retain their historic separate identities. Similarly, as of 2015, only eight of the regiments of the Royal Armoured Corps (cavalry plus Royal Tank Regiments) survive. Armoured regiments in Canada since

11352-536: The intelligence gathering American Alamo Scouts and the combat ready US Army Rangers . It was also formed to combat insurgencies such as the Communist and Moro Rebellions. It currently have more than 2500 Members. The Special Forces Regiment (Airborne) is a special forces unit of the Philippine Army. It is based on and continually trains with its American counterpart, the U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets) . It

11481-404: The late 1950s and concluded in 2006 has resulted in a system of administrative regiments each with several battalions, a band, a common badge and uniform etc. In the British regimental system, the tactical regiment or battalion is the basic functional unit and its commanding officer more autonomous than in continental systems. Divisional and brigade commanders generally do not immerse themselves in

11610-719: 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. A precondition to

11739-478: The loyalty their members exhibit to the regiments. Generally, the regimental system is found to function best in countries with small-to medium-sized military forces where the problems of administering vast numbers of personnel are not as prevalent. The regimental system works particularly well in an environment in which the prime role of the army consists of small-scale police actions and counterinsurgency operations, requiring prolonged deployment away from home. In such

11868-496: The military that may hamper efficiency and fairness. A key aspect of the regimental system is that the regiment or battalion is the fundamental tactical building block. This flows historically from the colonial period, when battalions were widely dispersed and virtually autonomous, but is easily adapted to a number of different purposes. For example, a regiment might include different types of battalions (e.g. infantry or artillery) of different origins (e.g. regular or reserve). Within

11997-472: The numbering, but this was rare. For this reason, although the regular battalion today (if there is only one) will always be the 1st Battalion, the TA battalions may have non-consecutive numbers. In practice, it is impossible to exercise all the administrative functions of a true regiment when the regiment consists of a single unit. Soldiers, and particularly officers, cannot spend a full career in one battalion. Thus in

12126-454: The only common factor being that each regiment had a single commander. By the beginning of the 18th century, regiments in most European continental armies had evolved into permanent units with distinctive titles and uniforms, each under the command of a colonel. When at full strength, an infantry regiment normally comprised two field battalions of about 800 men each or 8–10 companies . In some armies, an independent regiment with fewer companies

12255-478: The partition period, was disbanded. 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

12384-581: The recruitment of volunteers, induction of new recruits, individual morale and esprit de corps , and administrative roles (such as pay ). A regiment may consequently be a variety of sizes: The French term régiment is considered to have entered military usage in Europe at the end of the 16th century, when armies evolved from collections of retinues who followed knights , to formally organised, permanent military forces. At that time, regiments were usually named after their commanding colonels, and disbanded at

12513-414: The regiment will develop its unique esprit de corps because of its unitary history, traditions, recruitment, and function. Usually, the regiment is responsible for recruiting and administering all of a soldier's military career. Depending upon the country, regiments can be either combat units or administrative units or both. This is often contrasted to the "continental system" adopted by many armies. In

12642-471: The regimental system underwent modification. Prior to World War I, an infantry regiment in the French, German, Russian, and other smaller armies would comprise four battalions, each with a full strength on mobilization of about 1,000 men. As far as possible, the separate battalions would be garrisoned in the same military district, so that the regiment could be mobilized and campaign as a 4,000 strong linked group of sub-units. A cavalry regiment by contrast made up

12771-461: The regimental system, soldiers, and usually officers, are always posted to a tactical unit of their own regiment whenever posted to field duty. In addition to combat units, other organizations are very much part of the regimental family: regimental training schools, serving members on "extra-regimental employment", regimental associations (retirees), bands and associated cadet groups. The aspects that an administrative regiment might have in common include

12900-632: The regiments form the Artillery Corps. Air Defence units are organised as a single regiment with individual batteries stationed around the country. The Philippine Army currently has 3 regiments dedicated to special operations under the AFP Special Operations Command . They specialized in direct action, jungle warfare, urban warfare, special reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, psychological warfare, counter-terrorism, mass base and sniping operations against hostile positions depending on

13029-629: 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 . The Indian Army has many regiments, majority of them infantry, with single-battalion cavalry and artillery regiments. These are

13158-434: 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. Tensions between India and Pakistan, largely over Kashmir, have never been eliminated. After the partition of India, Hyderabad State ,

13287-510: The ridges they had lost. 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,

13416-405: The same name as the regiment. For example, The North Saskatchewan Regiment is the only battalion in the administrative regiment of the same name. When there is more than one battalion, they are distinguished by numbers, subsidiary titles or both. In Britain, every infantry battalion bears a number, even if it is the only remaining battalion in the regiment (in that case it is the 1st Battalion, with

13545-473: The situation of a certain place. The Scout Rangers, known officially as the First Scout Ranger Regiment, specializes in anti-guerrilla jungle warfare, raids, ambushes, close quarters combat, urban warfare and sabotage. It was formed on November 25, 1950, under the command of former AFP Vice Chief of Staff and Defense Secretary Rafael M. Ileto . It was modelled after two legendary fighting groups,

13674-404: The speed and flexibility with which Indian armoured divisions moved across East Pakistan. 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

13803-479: The tactical regiments 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery , 7th Toronto Regiment, RCA and many others are part of the single administrative regiment The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery . In Britain, the Royal Regiment of Artillery works in the same way. Administrative infantry regiments are composed of one or more battalions . When a regiment has only one battalion, the battalion may have exactly

13932-570: 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 . The Indian Army also successfully conducted Operation Golden Bird in 1995, as a counter-insurgency operation in northeast India. 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

14061-532: The two countries. 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

14190-626: The war broke out, made up what was called the Free India Legion . They were originally intended as pathfinders for German forces in Asia but were soon sent to help guard the Atlantic Wall . Few who were part of the Free India Legion ever saw any combat, and very few were ever stationed outside Europe. At its height, the Free India Legion had over 3,000 troops in its ranks. Indian POWs also joined

14319-743: The war ended. Despite frequent calls for its release, the Henderson-Brooks report remains classified. Neville Maxwell has written an account of the war. 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. 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

14448-504: 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. 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. About 200–300 Pakistani tanks were either destroyed or captured by India. India lost

14577-593: 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, while more than 700 regular members of the Pakistani Army had been killed. The number of Islamist fighters, also known as Mujahideen, killed by Indian armed forces during

14706-516: 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

14835-416: The withdrawal of the sick and wounded. Regimental system In Medieval Europe , the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted in one geographical area, by a leader who was often also the feudal lord in capite of the soldiers. Lesser barons of knightly rank could be expected to muster or hire a company or battalion from their manorial estate. By

14964-679: 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 . Below

15093-399: Was an acting brigadier (substantive captain) at the same time. 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. Army Day

15222-434: 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

15351-587: Was defeated, along with the Japanese; but it had a huge impact on the Indian independence movement. 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

15480-636: Was established in 1962 by then Captain Fidel V. Ramos PA (INF) (first commanding officer of the SFR-A), primarily trained in both unconventional warfare operations and psychological warfare operations. Like the Scout Rangers, members of the Special Forces Regiment of the Philippine Army are also highly trained in counter-insurgency operations. Upon assignment to the Special Forces, soldiers are made to undergo

15609-497: Was internal security and defence against a possible Soviet threat through Afghanistan. As the war progressed, the size and role of the Indian Army expanded dramatically, and troops were sent to battlefronts as soon as possible. The most serious problem was the lack of equipment. Indian units served in Burma, wherein 1944–45, five Indian divisions were engaged along with one British and three African divisions. Even larger numbers operated in

15738-462: Was labelled a demi-regiment . A cavalry regiment numbered 600 to 900 troopers, making up a single entity. On campaign, these numbers were soon reduced by casualties and detachments and it was sometimes necessary to amalgamate regiments or to withdraw them to a depot while recruits were obtained and trained. With the widespread adoption of conscription in European armies during the nineteenth century,

15867-470: 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. China's suspicion of India's involvement in Tibet created more rifts between

15996-661: 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 . 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

16125-512: 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. 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

16254-400: 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

16383-498: 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. Initially,

16512-475: Was the exception rather than the rule. A regimental system, since it is decentralized and the regiments are independent from each other, prevents the army from staging a coup d'état . This is best exemplified by the British Army: since the formation of the United Kingdom, there have been no military takeovers. A regimental system can also foster close links between the regiment and the community from which it

16641-650: Was the oldest infantry regiment. It now forms part of the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment . In the United Kingdom, there existed until recently a number of administrative "divisions" in the infantry that encompassed several regiments, such as the Guards Division, the former Scottish Division (now a single regiment), or the Light Division (now also compressed into a multi-battalion single regiment). The reduction and consolidation of British infantry regiments that began in

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