138-657: The Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) is a statutory office held by the professional head of the Indian Army (IA) , the land forces branch of the Indian Armed Forces . Customarily held by a four-star general officer, the COAS is the senior-most operational officer of the IA, tasked with the roles of overseeing the overall functioning of the force during peace and wartime, committing to
276-721: A company in Uri , Jammu and Kashmir as a Major. He attended the Defence Services Staff College , Wellington . After the course, he was appointed General Staff Officer, Grade 2 (GSO2) at the Military Operations Directorate at Army headquarters. He also served as a logistics staff officer of a Re-organised Army Plains Infantry Division (RAPID) in Central India. He attended the Higher Command Course at
414-456: 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
552-527: 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
690-416: A field marshal is nominally the highest-ranking officer in the IA, the rank is all but titular with no operational duties attached, which leaves the COAS as the highest operationally-active officer in the IA. The undermentioned table chronicles the appointees to the office of Commander-in-Chief, Indian Army (C-in-C) and the successor office of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) , beginning from August 1947 to
828-481: A gradual manner to test the limits of thresholds. He stated, India had to be "wary about" China, "and remain prepared for situations that could develop into conflicts". Rawat said that India did not "see any scope for reconciliation with Pakistan as its military, polity and people have decided that India wants to break their country into pieces". Rawat suspected Pakistan could "swing into action to take advantage of India's preoccupation with China". Rawat thus highlighted
966-732: A helicopter crash in December 2021. Prior to taking over as the CDS, he served as the 57th Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (Chairman COSC) of the Indian Armed Forces as well as 27th Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army. Born in Pauri, Pauri Garhwal district in present-day Uttarakhand to Lieutenant General Lakshman Singh Rawat , he graduated from the National Defence Academy and
1104-663: 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
1242-655: 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
1380-435: 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
1518-404: A one-month extension which allowed to serve until June 2024. Previously, in the event of an abrupt stoppage during the incumbent's tenure - by termination, resignation or sudden demise, the senior-most lieutenant-general in IA's command cadre has customarily been appointed as the successor; this situation has occurred twice in the past: first in 1962 - when then-Lieutenant General J. N. Chaudhuri
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#17328699119131656-582: 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
1794-575: 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
1932-606: 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
2070-626: A short stint, he was promoted to the Army Commander grade and assumed the post of General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) Southern Command on 1 January 2016. After an eight-month tenure, he assumed the post of Vice Chief of the Army Staff on 1 September 2016. On 17 December 2016, the Government of India appointed Rawat as the 27th Chief of the Army Staff , superseding two more senior Lieutenant Generals , Praveen Bakshi ( Eastern Army Commander ) and P. M. Hariz ( Southern Army Commander ). The appointment made by NDA ruled Government
2208-437: 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
2346-673: A special conference at Wilton Park , London, on 16 May 2009. Rawat was twice awarded the Force Commander's Commendation. After promotion to Major General , Rawat took over as the General Officer Commanding 19th Infantry Division ( Uri ). For his command of the Dagger Division, as the 19th Infantry Division is called, he was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal on 26 January 2013. He subsequently served as
2484-661: 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
2622-699: 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
2760-571: A two-front war situation without offering a solution or remedy. Until 2019, Rawat had given statements warning India to be prepared for a simultaneous war on two fronts against China and Pakistan. In September 2017, during a seminar in Delhi, Rawat said that "warfare lies within the realm of reality" along India borders with China and Pakistan, even though all the three countries have nuclear arms. According to critics, Rawat neither prepared for such an outcome nor initiated measures to thwart it. He served as
2898-590: 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
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#17328699119133036-506: Is eligible for an extension in tenure beyond the age of superannuation, as defined by Rule 16 A (4) Army Rules, 1954 . However, extensions to serving appointees have been rare, and have only been granted twice since 1947; first in June 1972 to General S. H. F. J. Manekshaw, who received a six-month extension which allowed him to serve until January 1973; and in May 2024 to General Manoj Pande , who received
3174-694: Is named for Rawat. The programme is aimed at enhancing professional military contacts between the two armed forces and facilitate the exchange of ideas and operational experiences. On Rawat's 65th birth anniversary, the Indian Navy instituted the General Bipin Rawat rolling trophy for the Woman Agniveer Trainee standing First in Overall Order of Merit. The trophy was instituted to honour his contribution to transformational Agnipath Scheme and
3312-930: Is presented at the sailors training centre INS Chilka . The Navy also instituted the General Bipin Rawat Rolling trophy for the Most Spirited Officer undergoing the Naval Higher Command Course (NHCC) at the Naval War College, Goa . In December 2013, the Jhelum Stadium in Janbazpora, Baramulla was renamed General Bipin Rawat stadium . Rawat had served as the GOC 19 Infantry Division, headquartered at Baramulla. During his career of nearly 43 years, he
3450-453: The 1971 Indo-Pakistani War - which made him the only-serving COAS to have ever been promoted to the rank. K. M. Cariappa, the second C-in-C of the Indian Army too was promoted to field marshal thirteen years later, in January 1986; however, unlike Manekshaw, he had superannuated at the rank of general in 1953 and had been in retirement for thirty-three years before his elevation. To note, although
3588-567: The 2015 Indian counter-insurgency operation in Myanmar took place where units under his command executed cross-border strikes against the NSCN-K . In early 2016, Rawat was promoted to Army Commander grade and appointed General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Command . After a short stint, he moved to Army HQ as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff . In December that year, he was appointed the next Chief of
3726-839: The Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) during Bipin Rawat's tenure as Chief of the Army Staff. She became the president of the Defence Wives Welfare Association (DWWA), upon the creation of the post and the appointment of General Bipin Rawat as the first CDS. She worked to make the wives of defence personnel financially independent. She was also involved with NGOs and welfare associations such as Veer Naris that assists widows of military personnel, differently-abled children and cancer patients. On 8 December 2021, Rawat, his wife and members of his staff were amongst 10 passengers and 4 crew members aboard an Indian Air Force Mil Mi-17 helicopter flight en route from
3864-819: 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
4002-630: The Democratic Republic of the Congo ). Within two weeks of deployment in the DRC, the Brigade faced a major offensive in the east which threatened the regional capital of North Kivu , Goma . The offensive also threatened to destabilise the country as a whole. The situation demanded a rapid response and North Kivu Brigade was reinforced, where it was responsible for over 7,000 men and women, representing nearly half of
4140-775: The Indian Military Academy where he was awarded the Sword of Honour. He was commissioned into his father's unit - 11 Gorkha Rifles . He served during the 1987 Sino-Indian skirmish in the Sumdorong Chu valley. He commanded a company in Uri and his battalion - 5/11 GR along the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh . Promoted to the rank of Brigadier , he commanded 5 sector Rashtriya Rifles in Sopore . He subsequently served with
4278-640: 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
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4416-670: 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
4554-808: The Indian subcontinent , established the position of Commander-in-Chief, India (C-in-C) in 1748 to head its three Presidency Armies , namely the Bengal Army , the Bombay Army and the Madras Army . Following the 1857-58 Indian rebellion against EIC rule , the control of the Presidency Armies were transferred directly to the British Crown , which succeeded the EIC as the official ruling-cum-governing entity of India. In 1895,
4692-816: 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
4830-512: 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
4968-599: The St. Edward's School, Shimla . He then joined the National Defence Academy , Khadakwasla and the Indian Military Academy , Dehradun , from where he graduated first in the order of merit and was awarded the 'Sword of Honour'. Rawat was also a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington and the Higher Command Course at the United States Army Command and General Staff College (USACGSC) at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas in 1997. From his tenure at
5106-416: The Sulur Air Force Base to the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington, where Rawat was to deliver a lecture. At around 12:10 p.m. local time, the aircraft crashed near a residential colony of private tea estate employees on the outskirts of the hamlet of Nanjappachatiram, Bandishola panchayat, in the Katteri-Nanchappanchathram area of Coonoor taluk, Nilgiris district . The crash site
5244-409: 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
5382-422: The United Nations as the Commander of a Multinational Brigade as part of MONUSCO . Promoted to general officer , Rawat commanded the 19 Infantry Division at Uri . He then served as the Major General General Staff (MGGS) at Headquarters Eastern Command . In 2014, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General and appointed General officer commanding (GOC) III Corps at Dimapur . During this tenure,
5520-443: The United States Army Command and General Staff College (USACGSC) at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas . As a colonel , Rawat commanded his battalion, the 5th battalion , the 11 Gorkha Rifles , in the eastern sector along the Line of Actual Control at Kibithu . For his command of 5/11 GR, he was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal on 26 January 2001. He also served as Colonel Military Secretary (Col MS) and Deputy Military Secretary in
5658-409: 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
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5796-422: 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
5934-455: The subsequent partition of the subcontinent , the BIA was bifurcated into two new entities: the modern-day Indian Army (IA) - responsible for the Dominion of India , and the newly-formed Pakistan Army (PA) - responsible for the Dominion of Pakistan . However, the post of C-in-C was trifurcated into three positions: the C-in-C Indian Army , the C-in-C Pakistan Army and the Supreme Commander India and Pakistan . Following independence,
6072-453: The 21st battalion of the Parachute Regiment struck an NSCN-K base in Myanmar . 21 Para was under the operational control of the Dimapur based III Corps , which was then commanded by Rawat. For his command of III Corps, he was awarded the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal on 26 January 2016. After relinquishing command of III Corps , Rawat was appointed General Officer Commanding Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa Area, headquartered in Mumbai. After
6210-420: The Army Staff superseding two senior generals. As the senior-most chief of staff amongst the three services, he served as the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee of the Indian Armed Forces from September 2019 to December 2021. He was appointed as the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Indian Armed Forces in January 2020 and served until his death in December 2021. During Rawat's tenure as
6348-415: 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,
6486-418: 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
6624-535: The CDS at the India International Centre in New Delhi, General Rawat touched upon the theory of clash of civilisations with regards to the western civilisation and China's growing relations with countries like Iran and Turkey. The next day, on 16 September 2021, India's Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar conveyed to his Chinese counterpart that India does not subscribe to any clash of civilisations theory. In 1985, Rawat married Madhulika Rawat (née Raje Singh). A descendant of an erstwhile princely family, she
6762-454: The COAS is the senior-most operational officer of the IA, and is tasked with the following: In addition to these responsibilities, the COAS is also a permanent member of: The office's eminence in the aforementioned groups thus grants the appointee with the role to advise the Minister of Defence ( Raksha Mantri or RM) on the affairs related to the IA's functioning and the promotion of an comprehensive integrated planning policy with respect to
6900-408: The COAS ranks 12th-overall in the Indian order of precedence , and is the IA's status-equivalent of the Chief of Defence Staff , the Chief of the Naval Staff and the Chief of the Air Staff - all three positions of which are also occupied by four-star officers from the armed forces. Seated at the Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Army) (IHQ of MoD (Army)) , stationed in New Delhi ,
7038-424: The COAS, in 2017, a 73-day military border standoff happened at Doklam between the Indian Armed Forces and the People's Liberation Army . Bipin Rawat was born in Pauri town of Pauri Garhwal district , present-day Uttarakhand state, on 16 March 1958 to a Hindu Garhwali Rajput family. His family had been serving in the Indian Army for multiple generations. His father Lakshman Singh Rawat (1930–2015)
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#17328699119137176-526: The Cabinet (ACC) - comprising the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence , upon recommendation from the IHQ of MoD (Army); appointees to the office are automatically deemed promoted to the rank of general. Notably, for the first two decades following India's independence, the C-in-C and the successor COAS were the only four-star officers in the Indian Armed Forces, while the chiefs of the Indian Navy (IN) and Indian Air Force (IAF) were headed by three-star vice admirals and air marshals , respectively;
7314-427: The Chiefs of Staff Committee . In 2017, at Doklam a 73-day military border standoff happened between the Indian Armed Forces and the People's Liberation Army of China over Chinese construction of a road in Doklam near a trijunction border area between Bhutan , China and India . After the standoff ended Rawat said China had begun 'flexing its muscles' and was trying to 'nibble away' territory held by India in
7452-402: The DSSC, he obtained an MPhil degree in Defence Studies as well as diplomas in Management and Computer Studies from the University of Madras . In 2011, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Chaudhary Charan Singh University , Meerut for his research on military-media strategic studies. Rawat was commissioned into the 5th battalion, the 11 Gorkha Rifles (5/11 GR) on 16 December 1978,
7590-422: 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
7728-477: The IA retained GHQ India , New Delhi - headed by General Sir Rob Lockhart as the first post-independence C-in-C, while the PA established its headquarters at GHQ Pakistan , Rawalpindi - headed by General Frank Messervy (later succeeded by General Sir Douglas Gracey ) as its inaugural C-in-C. Nevertheless, the two forces were directed under the auspices of the Supreme Commander's Headquarters (Supreme HQ) , headed by Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck ,
7866-399: The IA's Army Rules, 1954 - a COAS-appointee reaches superannuation upon the completion of three years in the position or at the age of 62, whichever is earlier. However, an appointee may also be dismissed from office by the President of India before the conclusion of the tenure under Section 18-19 of the Army Act, 1950 and Article 310 of the Constitution . Additionally, the appointee
8004-625: 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 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
8142-502: 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
8280-435: 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
8418-417: 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
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#17328699119138556-416: 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
8694-482: 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
8832-439: 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
8970-442: The Major General General Staff (MGGS) of the Eastern Command . Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General , he was appointed General Officer Commanding III Corps , headquartered in Dimapur . In June 2015, eighteen Indian soldiers were killed in an ambush by militants belonging to the United Liberation Front of Western South East Asia (UNLFW) in Manipur . The Indian Army responded with cross-border strikes in which units of
9108-452: 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
9246-407: The Military Secretary's Branch and as a Senior Instructor in the Junior Command Wing. On 26 January 2005, he was awarded the Sena Medal for devotion to duty. Promoted to the rank of Brigadier , he commanded 5 Sector Rashtriya Rifles in Sopore . He was awarded the Yudh Seva Medal for his command of 5 Sector RR. Rawat commanded MONUSCO (a Multinational Brigade in a Chapter VII mission in
9384-467: 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
9522-439: 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
9660-399: 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
9798-409: 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
9936-444: 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,
10074-633: The Supreme Commander. In January 1948, the position of Supreme Commander was abolished and bifurcated into the positions of Commander British Forces in India and the Commander British Forces in Pakistan , located at Bombay and Karachi , respectively, and with the responsibility of overseeing the repatriation of British military units to the United Kingdom. In June 1948, the title of C-in-C
10212-476: The United States in 2019, General Rawat was inducted to the United States Army Command and General Staff College International Hall of Fame. He was also an honorary General of Nepalese Army in accordance with the tradition between the Indian and Nepali armies to confer the honorary rank of General upon each other's chiefs to signify their close and special military ties. Rawat served as the 57th Chairman of
10350-409: The affairs of tri-service integration, doctrinal strategy, capability development, defence acquisition and infrastructure. As the professional head of the force, the COAS is assisted by one subordinate officer and three principal staff officers , namely: Beginning in the pre-independence era, the office of COAS has customarily been held by a four-star general . The move to appoint a new designate to
10488-497: The air force and navy. The statement had antagonised the Air Force and Navy. In early 2021, Rawat called the Indian Air Force a "supporting arm" of India's defence network and infrastructure. Air Chief Marshal R. K. S. Bhadauria made a public statement in response that the IAF served a bigger role than a supporting arm. On 15 September 2021 while speaking at an event in the capacity of
10626-586: The army Major involved in the Kashmir human shield incident , where a Kashmiri man was tied to a jeep as a human shield . The officer was awarded a Chief of the Army Staff Commendation Card by Rawat for counter-insurgency operations. Rawat had been criticized by the opposition party leaders for making political statements during the Citizenship Amendment Act protests . On his visit to
10764-401: 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
10902-544: 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
11040-511: 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
11178-399: 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
11316-521: 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
11454-644: 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
11592-475: The creation of theatre commands, both integrated and joint commands, will take a number of years. Indian Air Force opposed the formation of unified theatre commands citing limitation of resources. Rawat put emphasis on the 'supremacy and primacy' of the Indian Army over the Air force and Navy, in fighting wars. Rawat had stated, "Wars will be fought on land, and therefore the primacy of the army must be maintained over
11730-418: The designated nominee, in this case the COAS, must be under the age of 62 at the time of appointment as CDS; as of 2024, General Bipin Rawat has been the sole COAS-appointee to be appointed to the position of CDS. The position's initial roots finds its origins in the 18th century, when the East India Company (EIC) - a British-origin trade establishment and the then- de facto administrative organization of
11868-641: The designation of the position was shortened to simply to Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) through the Commanders-In-Chief (Change in Designation) Act, 1955 ; as a result of the Act, the tenure of the then-serving C-in-C - General Rajendrasinhji Jadeja , continued under the new designation. In January 1973, General S. H. F. J. Manekshaw , the Indian Army's seventh COAS, was promoted to the five-star rank of field marshal , in recognition of his leadership during
12006-422: 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
12144-520: 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
12282-476: 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
12420-443: The first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Indian Armed Forces from January 2020 until his death in December 2021. India as of 2021 had service–specific commands system. joint and integrated commands, also known as unified commands ; and further divided into theatre or functional commands, have been set up and more are proposed. In February 2020, Rawat said two to five theatre commands may be set up. The completion of
12558-518: 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
12696-597: The first chiefs to be promoted to four-star ranks of admiral and air chief marshal occurred in 1968 and 1966, respectively. Since 1950, the senior-most lieutenant generals in the IA's command cadre have customarily been appointed as COAS, nevertheless, this tradition has been broken twice, first in 1983 - when then-prime minister Indira Gandhi chose to appoint then-Lieutenant General A. K. Vaidya to supersede one senior officer, and in 2016 - when prime minister Narendra Modi chose to appoint then-Lieutenant General Bipin Rawat to supersede two senior officers. According to
12834-418: 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 ,
12972-459: 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
13110-649: The government to cope with internal threats. It is 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
13248-537: 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
13386-538: 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 ,
13524-623: 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
13662-478: 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
13800-522: The position usually begins three months before the change-of-command, wherein the Ministry of Defence (MoD) reviews the résumés of the IA's sole Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) and five General Officer Commanding-in-Chiefs (of the force's five combatant commands) - all of whom are lieutenant generals, before making a decision. Appointments to the position are made by the Appointments Committee of
13938-552: The positions associated with the three-star rank of lieutenant general . Three lieutenant-generals were shortlisted as candidates for the position, namely: Ultimately, Cariappa was chosen to succeed Bucher, which he did on 15 January 1949, with the substantive rank of a four-star general - which thus made him the first Indian-origin general and first native chief of the Indian Army; the day of his appointment has been commemorated annually ever since as Army Day . Shrinagesh, nevertheless, later served as COAS from 1955 to 1957. In 1955,
14076-531: The preparation and maintenance of the force's operational effectiveness and defending the nation's territorial integrity and sovereignty. Being a permanent member of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) and the National Security Council (NSC), the COAS also bears the responsibility of advising the nation's civilian leadership i.e., the Government of India on all matters privy to the IA. Statutorily,
14214-552: The present-day. Ranks and honours are as at the completion of their tenure: 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 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
14352-694: The protection of the vulnerable population. This operational period lasted for four months. Goma never fell, the East stabilized and the main armed group was motivated to the negotiating table and has since been integrated into the FARDC. He was also tasked to present the Revised Charter of Peace Enforcement to the Special Representatives of the Secretary-General and Force Commanders of all the UN missions in
14490-434: 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 ,
14628-510: 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,
14766-587: The same unit as his father. During the 1987 Sino-Indian skirmish in the Sumdorong Chu valley, then Captain Rawat's battalion was deployed against the Chinese People's Liberation Army . The standoff was the first military confrontation along the disputed McMahon Line after the 1962 war . Early in his career, Rawat had an instructional tenure at the Indian Military Academy , Dehradun . He had much experience in high-altitude warfare and spent ten years conducting counter-insurgency operations. He commanded
14904-404: 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
15042-617: The three armies were merged to form a unified British Indian Army (BIA), under the direct control of the C-in-C. Following the Kitchener Reforms in 1903, up until the establishment of India's independence in 1947 , the C-in-C functioned as the supreme commander of the armed forces in the subcontinent, liaising directly with the Governor-General of India over the administrative affairs of the stationed military. Following independence and
15180-522: The total MONUSCO force. Whilst simultaneously engaged in offensive kinetic operations against the CNDP and other armed groups, Rawat (then Brigadier ) carried out tactical support to the Congolese Army ( FARDC ), He sensitised programmes with the local population and detailed coordination to ensure that all were informed about the situation and worked together in the progress of operations. He was responsible for
15318-570: 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
15456-532: 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
15594-626: 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
15732-696: 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
15870-504: 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
16008-593: 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
16146-460: 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
16284-480: The withdrawal of the sick and wounded. Bipin Rawat General Bipin Rawat PVSM UYSM AVSM YSM SM VSM ADC (16 March 1958 – 8 December 2021) was an Indian military officer who was a four-star general of the Indian Army . He served as the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Indian Armed Forces from January 2020 until his death in
16422-672: Was 10 kilometres (6.2 mi; 5.4 nmi) from the flight's intended destination. Rawat's death – and those of his wife and 11 others – was later confirmed by the Indian Air Force . Rawat's liaison officer, Group Captain Varun Singh initially survived the incident, but later succumbed to injuries on 15 December. Rawat was 63 at the time of his death. Rawat and his wife were cremated according to Hindu rituals with full military honours and 17 gun salute at Brar Square Crematorium in Delhi Cantonment on 10 December 2021. Their cremation
16560-679: 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
16698-399: 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
16836-479: Was appointed after the resignation of then-incumbent General Pran Nath Thapar , and again in 1993 - when then-Lieutenant General Shankar Roychowdhury was appointed after the sudden demise of then-incumbent General B. C. Joshi . Additionally, a COAS-appointee is also eligible to be selected for the position of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), in accordance with the Army (Amendment) Regulations, 2022 - which prescribes that
16974-772: Was awarded multiple times for gallantry and distinguished service. He was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2001, the Sena Medal in 2005, the Yudh Seva Medal in 2009, the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2013, the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal in 2016 and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2019. He was also awarded the COAS Commendation on two occasions and the Army Commander's Commendation. While serving with
17112-539: Was carried out by their daughters, who took their ashes to Haridwar and immersed them in the Ganges at the Har Ki Pauri ghat on 12 December. Among the foreign ilitary commanders ho attended the state funeral were: Lt Gen Bal Krishna Karki ( Chief of General Staff ) Nepali Army Admiral Ravindra Chandrasiri Wijegunaratne (Retd) (Former Chief of Defence Staff ) On Rawat's first death anniversary, his bust
17250-434: 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
17388-587: 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
17526-666: 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. The Imperial Service Troops were merged into
17664-646: Was from Sainj village of the Pauri Garhwal district; commissioned into 3/11 Gorkha Rifles in 1951, he retired as Deputy Chief of the Army Staff in 1988 in the rank of Lieutenant General . His mother was from the Uttarkashi district and was the daughter of Kishan Singh Parmar, the ex- Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Uttarkashi . Rawat was educated at Cambrian Hall school in Dehradun and at
17802-497: 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
17940-422: Was modified with the prefix Chief of the Army Staff , and re-designated as Chief of the Army Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Indian Army (COAS & C-in-C) . In January 1949, upon the impending retirement of General Sir Roy Bucher - the IA's second C-in-C, the Government of India considered the decision to appoint a native Indian general officer to the position; up until then, Indian officers had only achieved
18078-470: 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
18216-661: 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
18354-505: Was politically controversial. Rawat was accused of nepotism and gratuitously politicising the appointment, by the senior serving and retired military officers. He took office of Chief of the Army Staff as the 27th COAS on 31 December 2016, after retirement of General Dalbir Singh Suhag . He was the third officer from the Gorkha Brigade to become the Chief of the Army Staff , after Sam Manekshaw and Suhag. In 2018, Rawat defended
18492-512: 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
18630-400: 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
18768-498: 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,
18906-514: Was the daughter of Kunwar Mrigendra Singh, sometime Riyasatdar of the pargana of Sohagpur (Shahdol) Riyasat in Shahdol district and an Indian National Congress MLA from the district in 1967 and 1972. She was educated at Scindia Kanya Vidyalaya in Gwalior and graduated in psychology at University of Delhi . The couple had two daughters, Kritika and Tarini. Madhulika Rawat was the president of
19044-477: Was unveiled at the United Service Institution of India (USI) by the Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt . A chair of excellence and a memorial lecture was instituted at the institute by the Indian Armed Forces and the USI. The General Bipin Rawat Block at the Military Engineer Services Inspection Bungalow (MES IB) in Colaba , Mumbai is named for Rawat. The General Rawat India-Australia Young Defence Officers' Exchange Programme established in March 2022
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