INDIAN ARMED FORCES

The Indian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of India. It consists
of three professional uniformed services: the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian
Air Force. Additionally, the Indian Armed Forces are supported by the Indian Coast
Guard and paramilitary organisations (Assam Rifles, and Special Frontier Force) and
various inter-service commands and institutions such as the Strategic Forces
Command, the Andaman and Nicobar Command and the Integrated Defence Staff.
The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. The
Indian Armed Forces are under the management of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of
the Government of India. With strength of over 1.4 million active personnel, it is
the world's second-largest military force and has the world's largest volunteer army.
According to a 2015 estimate by Credit Suisse, the Indian Armed Forces are the
world's fifth-most powerful military. It has also the fourth-largest defence budget in
the world.

Basically there are three types of Indian Armed Forces. They are named as Indian
Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force.
The Indian Army is the largest branch of the Indian Armed Forces and is responsible
for land-based military operations. Its primary mission is the National Security and
Defense of India from external aggression and threats, and maintaining peace and
security within its borders. It also conducts humanitarian rescue operations during
natural calamities and other disturbances
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its
complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks fourth amongst the air forces of
the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial
warfare during armed conflict.
The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President
of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a
four-star admiral, commands the navy. As of June 2019, Indian Navy has 67,252
personnel in service and has a fleet of 137 warships and 235 aircraft.

Minister of Defence: Rajnath Singh

Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee: General Bipin Rawat

Reserve personnel: 2,096,000

Ranks: Army; Air Force; Navy

Active personnel: 1,443,921

 INDIAN ARMY

The Indian Army (Bhāratīya Thala Sēnā) is the land-based branch and the largest
component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme
Commander of the Indian Army, and it is commanded by the Chief of Army
Staff (COAS), who is a four-star general. Two officers have been conferred with the
rank of field marshal, a five-star rank, which is a ceremonial position of great honour.
The Indian Army originated from the armies of the East India Company, which
eventually became the British Indian Army, and the armies of the princely states,
which finally became the national army after independence. The units and regiments
of the Indian Army have diverse histories and have participated in a number of
battles and campaigns across 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, defending the nation from external aggression and internal threats, and
maintaining peace and security within its borders. It conducts humanitarian rescue
operations during natural calamities and other disturbances, like Operation Surya
Hope, and can also be requisitioned by the government to cope with internal threats.
It is a major component of national power alongside the Indian Navy and the Indian
Air Force. The 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. Apart from conflicts, the army has
conducted large peace time exercises like Operation Brasstacks and Exercise
Shoorveer, and it has also been an active participant in numerous United Nations
peacekeeping missions including those in: Cyprus, Lebanon, Congo, Angola,
Cambodia, Vietnam, Namibia, El Salvador, Liberia, Mozambique, South Sudan and
Somalia.
The Indian Army has a regimental system, but is operationally and geographically
divided into seven commands, with the basic field formation being a division. It is
an all-volunteer force and comprises more than 80% of the country's active defence
personnel. It is the 2nd largest standing army in the world, with 1,237,117 active
troops and 960,000 reserve troops.

The Indian Army, which began inducting the indigenously upgraded Dhanush
artillery guns, will have the first regiment in place by March 2020 and will get all 114
guns by 2022, Army sources said. Dhanush is the indigenously upgraded variant of
the Swedish Bofors gun imported in the 1980s.

In April, the Ordnance Factory Board had handed over the first batch of six Dhanush
guns. The Gun Carriage Factory, Jabalpur, received the Bulk Production Clearance
to manufacture 114 guns from the Army on February 18, 2019.
 IMPORTANT POINTS OF INDIAN ARMY

Logo of Indian Army :

Founded 1 April 1895; 124 years ago

Country India

Type Army

Role Land warfare

Size 1,237,117 active personnel

960,000 reserve personnel
181 manned aircraft

Part of Indian Armed Forces

Headquarters New Delhi

Motto(s) "Service Before Self"

Colours Gold, red and black

Anniversaries Army Day: 15 January

Website indianarmy.nic.in

Commanders

Commander-in- President Ram Nath Kovind

Chief

Chief of the General Bipin

Army Staff Rawat, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM, ADC
(COAS)

Vice Chief of Lieutenant General Manoj Mukund

the Army Staff Naravane, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM
(VCOAS)

Notable Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa, OBE

commanders Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, MC
General K. S. Thimayya, DSO

Aircraft flown

Attack HAL Rudra, HAL LCH

Helicopter HAL Dhruv, HAL Chetak, HAL Cheetah, Kamov Ka-226

 INDIAN ARMY RANKS

Rank – Field Marshal

Insignia – National emblem over a crossed baton and saber in a lotus blossom
wreath
Rank – General
Insignia – National emblem over a five-pointed star, both over a crossed baton and
saber
Rank – Lieutenant General
Insignia – National emblem over crossed baton and saber
Rank – Major General
Insignia – Five pointed star over crossed baton and saber
Rank – Brigadier
Insignia – National emblem over three five-pointed stars in a triangular formation
Rank – Colonel
Insignia – National emblem over two five-pointed stars
Rank – Lieutenant Colonel
Insignia – National emblem over five-pointed star
Rank – Major
Insignia – National emblem
Rank – Captain
Insignia – Three five-pointed stars
Rank – Lieutenant
Insignia – Two five-pointed stripe

Junior Commissioned Officers of the Indian Army

Rank – Subedar Major (Infantry) or Risaldar Major (Cavalry and

Armoured Regiments)

Insignia – Gold national emblem with stripe

Rank – Subedar (Infantry) or Risaldar (Cavalry and Armoured

Regiments)
Insignia – Two gold stars with stripe
 COMMANDS IN INDIAN ARMY

1. Eastern Command (Headquarter – Kolkata)

Currently, in this command 12 divisions and 4 cores are working.

2. Central Command (Headquarter – Lucknow)

Currently no unit of this command is working and it is assigned to South Western
Command.

3. Northern Command (Headquarter – Udhampur)

At present, 7 divisions, 3 cores and 1 brigade of this command are working.

4. Southern Command (Headquarter – Pune)

Currently, in this command 6 divisions, 2 cores and 3 brigades are working.

5. South-Western Command (Headquarter – Jaipur)

At present, 7 divisions, 2 cores and 3 brigade of this command are working.

6. Western Command (Headquarter – Chandigarh)

Currently 9 divisions, 3 cores and 6 brigades of this command are working.

7. Training Command (Headquarter – Shimla)

This command is the nodal agency for all institutional training in the army.
 ARMY ORGANISATION IN COMMAND
In any command army is organised in 7 parts :

1. Section: The smallest unit of army is called "section", it contains 10-12 soldiers.

2. Platoon: It consists 4 sections.

3. Company: It consists 4 platoons. Its Chief is called company commander.

4. Battalion: Its Chief is called Colonel.

5. Brigade: Its Chief is called Brigadier.

6. Division: Its Chief is called Major General.

7. Corps: Its Chief is called Lieutenant General.

Organization of the Indian Army:

Indian Army is organized in two parts – Combat Arms and Services.

Combat Arms: In the Combat Arms, those soldiers are involved who participated in
the search operation.

Services: Apart from the Combat Arms, the remaining whole army is kept under the
services. Their main task is to provide logistical (food) material to the army and
administrated the army.

The Indian Army has a regimental system, but is operationally and geographically
divided into seven commands, with the basic field formation being a division. It is an
all-volunteer force and comprises more than 80% of the country's active defence
personnel.
 LEADERSHIP

The officer corps strength versus commanded strength averages 7 to 8 per cent.
After independence there was only one period (1963-65) when a need arose to offer
short-term emergency commissions. That was when a pre-1962 planned expansion
was compressed in terms of time leading to this call. The main brunt of the fighting in
1965 and 1971 at junior command levels was taken up by this group. Just as in the
Second World War, they, along with their regular counterparts, responded with
traditional elan. Over the years, a number of Commission streams had merged
together. The last of the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, graduates retired in
1969. The Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehra Dun, graduates, as well as the
Short Service/Emergency Commissioned Officers of the Second World War formed
the overwhelming bulk filling the fighting command slots in 1947-49; the King's
Commission Indian Officers taking over the higher command appointments.
In 1949 a unique experiment was launched - that of cadet-level training for all the
three Services together for three years and thereafter moving on to Service
academies for pre-Commission training. This was the Joint Services Wing (Dehra
Dun), which in later years became the National Defence Academy (NDA)
Khadakvasla.
A common perception of the army officer is that of a large, moustachioed,
'Neanderthal' with overhanging brows getting very physical round the clock. Another
is that the real creme de la creme of the high school levels would never think of
joining up. It never strikes the common observer that neither a gorilla nor a budding
CV Raman, nor a future chief executive of, say, an ice cream manufacturing
company may necessarily have combat leadership traits. Academic brilliance is just
one plus point, and that is all that has been displayed by a teenager prefering to
move into the civilian professional life at that point.
The training of the Indian army officer is meant to subsume his persona under a very
demanding but explicit code. Which is given as under :-
"THE SAFETY, HONOUR AND WELFARE OF
YOUR COUNTRY COME FIRST, ALWAYS AND EVERY TIME.
THE HONOUR, WELFARE AND COMFORT OF
THE MEN YOU COMMAND COME NEXT.
YOUR OWN EASE, COMFORT AND SAFETY COME LAST,
ALWAYS AND EVERY TIME."
 INDIAN NAVY

The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of
India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a
four star admiral,
commands the navy.
The Indian Navy traces its origins back to the East India Company's Marine which
was founded in 1612 to protect British merchant shipping in the region. In 1793,
the East India Company established its rule over eastern part of the Indian
subcontinent i.e. Bengal, but it was not until 1830 that the colonial navy was titled
as His Majesty's Indian Navy. When India became a republic in 1950, the Royal
Indian Navy as it had been named since 1934 was renamed to Indian Navy.

The primary objective of the navy is to safeguard the nation's maritime borders, and
in conjunction with other Armed Forces of the union, act to deter or defeat any
threats or aggression against the territory, people or maritime interests of India, both
in war and peace. Through joint exercises, goodwill visits and humanitarian
missions, including disaster relief, Indian Navy promotes bilateral relations between
nations.
As of June 2019, Indian Navy has 67,252 personnel in service and has a fleet of 137
warships and 235 aircraft.[5][6][7] As of March 2018, the operational fleet consists of
one aircraft carrier, one amphibious transport dock, eight landing ship tanks,
eleven destroyers, fourteen frigates, one nuclear-powered attack submarine,
one ballistic missile submarine, fifteen conventionally-powered attack submarines[8],
twenty-two corvettes, one mine countermeasure vessel, four fleet tankers and
various other auxiliary vessels.

Active Indian Navy ships is a list of ships in active service with the Indian Navy. In
service ships are taken from the official Indian Navy website. The Indian Navy is one
of the largest navies in the world, and as of May 2019 possesses 1 aircraft carrier,
1 amphibious transport dock, 8 Landing ship tanks, 10 destroyers, 13 frigates,
1 nuclear-powered attack submarine,1 Ballistic missile submarine, 15 conventionally-
powered attack submarines, 22 corvettes, 10 large offshore patrol vessels, 4 fleet
tankers and various auxiliary vessels and small patrol boats. For ships no longer in
service see List of ships of the Indian Navy and for future acquisitions of the fleet,
see future ships of the Indian Navy.
Besides the following navy ships, the Indian Coast Guard operates around 90 - 100
armed patrol ships of various sizes.
 IMPORTANT POINTS OF INDIAN NAVY

Logo of Indian Navy :

Founded 1612

Country India

Type Navy

Role Naval warfare, force projection, sealift, defence

deterrence

Size 67,252 personnel[1]

137 ships (excl. auxiliaries)
Approx. 246 aircraft

Part of Indian Armed Forces

Garrison/HQ Integrated Headquarters, Ministry of Defence (Navy)

Motto(s) शं नो वरुणः (Sanskrit)

Shaṁ No Varunaḥ (IAST)
May the Lord of the Water be auspicious unto
us (English)
Colours Navy blue, white

March Jai Bharati (Victory to India)

Anniversaries Navy Day: 4 December

Operational fleet as of 2019[show]

Engagements Major wars and operations[show]

Website indiannavy.nic.in

Commanders

Commander-in- President Ram Nath Kovind

Chief

Chief of the Naval Admiral Karambir Singh, PVSM, AVSM[2]

Staff (CNS)

Vice Chief of the Vice Admiral G. Ashok Kumar, AVSM, VSM[3]

Naval Staff
(VCNS)

Deputy Chief of Vice Admiral M. S. Pawar, AVSM, VSM[4]

the Naval Staff
(DCNS)

Notable Admiral S. M. Nanda,

commanders Admiral Ram Dass Katari

Aircraft flown

Fighter MiG-29K

Helicopter HAL Dhruv, Kamov Ka-28, Kamov Ka-31, Sea King

Mk.42C, UH-3 Sea King, HAL Chetak
 ACTIVE INDIAN NAVY SHIPS

There are total 17 active Indian Navy ships :

1. INS Arighat S74

2. INS Arihant S73

3. INS Brahmaputra S31

4. INS Chakra S71

5. INS Delhi D61

6. INS Kalvari S50

7. INS Kolkata D63

8. INS Mysore D60

9. INS Rajput D51

10. INS Sahyadri D49

11. INS Shishumar D44

12. INS Shivalik D57

13. INS Sindughosh D55

14. INS Talwar D40

15. INS Tarkash D50

16. INS Vikramaditya D33

17. INS Scorpene class

The Indian Navy is aiming to have a 200-ship fleet by 2027 as per a maritime
capability perspective plan in order to guard interests and assets of the nation in
waters around them.In the backdrop of a constant Chinese military threat in the
Indian Ocean Region, the Indian Navy is pushing for a third aircraft carrier, whose
construction will start in the next three years. It is also planning to induct 56 ships
and six submarines, including of an advanced class- the Project 75I.

The developments were shared on Monday by the Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba,
who also revealed that the second Scorpene class submarine, Khanderi, has
undergone the requisite trials.
 FUTURE OF INDIAN NAVY

The Indian Navy has been focusing on developing indigenous platforms, systems,
sensors and weapons as part of the nation's modernisation and expansion of its
maritime forces. As of 2014 the Indian Navy has 41 vessels of various types under
construction, including an aircraft carrier; destroyers; frigates; corvettes; and
conventional-powered and nuclear-powered submarines. In 2013 a senior naval
official outlined the Indian Navy's intention to build a 200 ship navy over a 10-year
period. According to Chief of Naval Staff's statement in September 2014, India has
transformed from a buyer's navy to a builder's navy. All 41 ships under construction
are being produced in Indian shipyards, both publicly and privately owned. However
some projects have suffered from long delays and cost overruns.
Increasing Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy interest in the Indian Ocean
region has led the Indian Navy to invest more in anti-submarine ships, such as
the Kamorta-class corvette, long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft, and ships
such as the Saryu-class patrol vessel and unmanned aerial vehicles such as the IAI
Heron-1. However the lack of a strong submarine fleet has diminished its capabilities
to some extent.
The Navy is homing in on electric propulsion for a planned future aircraft carrier, with
a hybrid system likely to be considered for development, most likely in partnership
with a US based partner. Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh confirmed on Thursday
that that electric propulsion is being considered but did not give any timelines for the
project.

“Our plan is to build a 65,000 tonner, possibly with electric propulsion and CATOBAR
(Catapult Assisted Take off but Arrested Recovery) so ..

The sole designer and builder producer of American aircraft carriers - could be roped
in for a consultant for the future Indian warship plan. India and the US have an
official Joint Working Group on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation that has
been meeting to work on the project.

The Indian project however has not yet been given financial clearances by the
government even though the Navy has been pushing ahead, bringing out the
increasing challenges in the Indian Ocean Region.
 5 MOST POWERFUL NAVIES

The United States

The United States, the dominant naval power worldwide in 1945, will continue to
dominate the seas eighty-five years later. By 2030 the Navy will be halfway
through its thirty-year shipbuilding plan and have built three Gerald R. Ford–class
aircraft carriers to begin replacing existing Nimitz-class carriers. .

The United Kingdom

The Royal Navy of 2030 will be paradoxically the smallest and yet most powerful
in the history of the United Kingdom. A combination of two new aircraft carriers,
restoring fixed-wing flight to navy after a forty-year hiatus, and a fleet of ballistic-
missile submarines will keep a numerically inferior Royal Navy in the top five.

China

The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) of 2030 will continue to build on the
ground broken by the PLAN of 2016. Currently, China has four major ship hulls it
seems to be content with: the Type 052D guided-missile destroyer, Type
054A frigate, Type 056 corvette and Type 071 amphibious transport. All four are
mature designs in large-scale production that will form the bulk of the fleet in 2030.

India

The Indian Navy will be the second (or third, if you count Russia) Asian navy on
this list. India has recently begun pouring enormous resources into its naval
service, and as a result by 2030 could have one of the top five navies on the
planet.

Russia

The combination of a downturn oil prices and Western sanctions from its
annexation of the Crimea will put a crimp in Russia’s economic stride for the near
future. After economic growth of up to six percent annually, the bear is in
recession with no immediate end in sight. A plan to replace 90 percent of Russian
military equipment, including ships and naval equipment, has stalled.
 INDIAN NAVY MORDERNISATION

The Indian Navy (IN) has been in forefront in indigenisation of its platforms,
systems, sensors and weapons. As a fall out of the capabilities, yards were now
being recognised world over. In the field of indigenous development of naval
armament, IN had adopted a two pronged approach. Firstly, it was self-reliance
which has helped in harnessing potential of DRDO establishment and industries.
Secondly, wherever technology was readily available and collaboration was
possible, IN has considered the option of partnership in the form of either Transfer
of Technology (TOT) or Joint Venture (JV) between the appropriate players and
the national industry. This has resulted in bridging the time gap between
developmentand exploitation of a weapon system.

India entered the 21st Century with a small but formidable regional naval posture.
Long considered a "blue water" navy, the Indian Navy faces major challenges as
many of its major vessels near the end of their service lives. Indigenous
shipbuilding efforts were struggling to achieve acceptable levels of productivity and
efficiency. By the end of the 20th Century the Indian Navy had emerged as the fifth
largest in the world. It appeared that the Indian Navy (IN) continued to have
procurement problems with delays in both domestically produced weapons
systems and foreign purchases; potentially impacting its self envisaged roles of
sea control and sea denial.

In the mid-1990s the Indian fleet numbered over 100 combat naval vessels, of
which 15 were submarines, 2 were aircraft carriers, and another 23 were
destroyers and fast frigates. Problems with funding and the lack of spare parts
meant that only about one-half of India's warships were operable at any one time,
while the other half were merely sea-worthy. This situation had persisted since the
early 1980s, due to under-funding.

By the mid-1990s, India was preparing for a long-overdue major modernization

program that was to include completion of three 5,000-ton Delhi-class destroyers,
the building of three 3,700-ton frigates based on Italian Indian Naval Ship (INS)-10
design, and the acquisition of four hydrographic survey ships. Also to be built were
an Indian-designed warship called Frigate 2001; six British Upholder-class
submarines; an Indian-designed and Indian-built missile-firing nuclear submarine --
the Advanced Technology Vessel -- based on the Soviet Charlie II class; and an
Indian-designed and Indian-built 17,000-ton air defense ship capable of carrying
between twelve and fifteen aircraft.

The air-defense ship was to be, in effect, a replacement for India's two aging
British aircraft carriers, the INS Vikrant, the keel of which was laid in 1943 but
construction of which was not completed until 1961 and which was slated for
decommissioning by 2000, and the INS Viraat, which entered service in 1987 and
was likely to be decommissioned by 2005. The problems encountered with
modernizing these and other foreign-source ships led India to decide against
acquiring an ex-Soviet Kiev-class aircraft carrier in 1994.
 INDIAN NAVY INDUCTIONS

Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar has said INS Khanderi, the P-17 Shivalik class frigate
and the aircraft carrier drydock, scheduled to be commissioned on September 28,
will greatly enhance India's maritime combat potential.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to commission them in Mumbai on

September 28.

"With these three events, the Indian Navy's combat potential and reach will increase
manifold. The Indian Navy through its mission-based deployments, enhanced
footprint.
This is in line with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of SAGAR (security and
growth for all in the region), said Vice Admiral Kumar.

The INS Khanderi is the second Scorpene-class attack submarine to be

commissioned into the Indian Navy. The conventional diesel-electric submarine has
been manufactured by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders in Mumbai under the Indian
Navy's P-75 programme under which six similar submarines will be manufactured.
The P-17 Alpha Shivalik-class frigate, a stealth warship, has been built under the P-
17 programme. Under the project, seven ships will be built by the Mazgaon Dock
Limited and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers. It's a follow-up of the first
frigate built by the Mazgaon Dock Limited in the 1970s.

The aircraft carrier drydock, which will also be commissioned on September 28, will
be the largest drydock of the Indian Navy. It will be capable of even dry-docking INS
Vikramaditya.
According to Navy officials, cost of the Scorpene-class submarine P-75 project
stands at Rs 25,000 crore and the cost of the seven stealth warships, being
developed under P- 17, is over Rs 48,000 crore. The aircraft carrier drydock has
been developed at a cost of Rs 1,320 crore.

"We expect to stick to the timeline in delivering the remaining four ships under the P-
75 programme. Given the complex nature of any ship-construction project, delays
are acceptable," said Vice Admiral Kumar.
 HISTORY OF INDIAN ARMED FORCES

Ancient to medieval era

Indian maritime history dates back 5,000 years.The first tidal dock is believed to
have been built at Lothal around 2300 BC during the Indus Valley Civilisation period,
near the present day port of Mangrol on the Gujarat coast. The Rig Veda written
around 1500 BC, credits Varuna with knowledge of the ocean routes and describes
naval expeditions. There is reference to the side wings of a vessel called Plava,
which gives the ship stability in storm conditions. A compass, Matsya yantra was
used for navigation in the fourth and fifth century AD. The earliest known reference
to an organisation devoted to ships in ancient India is in the Mauryan Empire from
the 4th century BC. Powerful militaries included those of
the: Maurya, Satavahana, Chola, Vijayanagara, Mughal and Maratha empires.Emper
or Chandragupta Maurya's mentor and advisor Chanakya's Arthashastra devotes a
full chapter on the state department of waterways
under navadhyaksha (Sanskrit for Superintendent of ships) . The term, nava
dvipantaragamanam (Sanskrit for "sailing to other lands by ships," i.e. exploration)
appears in this book in addition to appearing in the Vedic text, Baudhayana
Dharmashastra as the interpretation of the term, Samudrasamyanam.
British India (1857 to 1947)
The Royal Indian Navy was first established by the British while much of India was
under the control of the East India Company. In 1892, it became a maritime
component as the Royal Indian Marine (RIM).
During World War I the Indian Army contributed a number of divisions and
independent brigades to the European, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern theatres
of war. One million Indian troops served overseas; 62,000 died and another 67,000
were wounded. In total, 74,187 Indian soldiers died during the war. It fought against
the German Empire in German East Africa and on the Western Front.
Dominion of India (1947–1950)
The period immediately following Indian independence was a traumatic time for India
and her armed services. Along with the newly independent India, the Indian Armed
Forces were forcibly divided between India and Pakistan, with ships, divisions and
aircraft allocated to the respective Dominions. Upon Independence on 15 August
1947, K. M. Cariappa and K.S. Rajendrasinhji were promoted to the rank of major-
general from brigadier; 12 other Indian officers then held the rank of brigadier.
Republic of India (1950 to present)
Upon India becoming a sovereign republic on 26 January 1950, some of the last
vestiges of British rule - rank badges, imperial crowns, British ensigns and "Royal"
monikers - were dropped and replaced with the Indian tricolour and the Lion Capital
of Asoka.[39] While India had become a republic, British officers seconded from
the British Armed Forces continued to hold senior positions in the Indian Armed
Forces into the early 1960s. On 1 April 1954, Air Marshal Subroto
Mukherjee became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Air Force.
 RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING OF INDIAN ARMED FORCES

The vast majority of forces in are enlisted personnel general duty. These forces are
recruited at different recruitment rallies across the country. At the rally recruiters look
at candidates from surrounding districts and examine their fitness. Candidates for
Soldier, general duty must have Class 10 Leaving Certificate and in the range of 17
to 21 years. The forces also does online applications to appear at recruitment rallies.
Requirements for technical roles, like nurses, artillery, Missile Defense have more
stringent educational requirements. The least restrictive job is House Keeper and
Cleaner, for which candidates only have to be 8th pass.
At the rally, prospective forces are evaluated for Height, Weight, vision and hearing,
and physical fitness. Fitness tests include a 1.6 km Run, Pull Ups, jumping a 9 Feet
ditch, and doing a zig zag balance test. After recruitment rally, accepted candidates
go to Basic Training.
The Indian Armed Forces have set up numerous military academies across India for
training personnel. Military schools, Sainik Schools, and the Rashtriya Indian Military
College were founded to broaden the recruitment base of the Defence Forces. The
three branches of the Indian Armed Forces jointly operate several institutions such
as: the National Defence Academy (NDA), the Defence Services Staff
College (DSSC), the National Defence College (NDC) and the College of Defence
Management (CDM) for training its officers. The Armed Forces Medical
College (AFMC) at Pune is responsible for providing the entire pool of medical staff
to the Armed Forces by giving them in-service training.
Officer recruitment is through many military-related academies. Besides the tri-
service National Defence Academy, Pune, the three services have their own training
institutes for this purpose. These include: the Indian Military
Academy, Dehradun, Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, Air Force
Academy, Hyderabad, Officers Training Academy at Chennai and Gaya.[75][76] Other
notable institutions are the Army War College, at Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, the High
Altitude Warfare School (HAWS), at Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir, the Counter
Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School (CIJW), in Vairengte, Mizoram, and
the College of Military Engineering (CME), in Pune. After being commissioned,
officers are posted and deputed, and are at the helm of affairs not only inside India
but also abroad. Officers are appointed and removed only by the President of India.
 OVERVIEW

The headquarters of the Indian Armed Forces is in New Delhi, the capital city of
India. The President of India serves as the formal Supreme Commander of the
Indian Armed Forces, while actual control lies with the executive headed by
the Prime Minister of India. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is the ministry charged
with the responsibilities of countering insurgency and ensuring external security of
India. General Bipin Rawat is the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), Admiral Karambir
Singh is the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) and Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar
Singh Bhadauria is the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS). The Indian armed force are split
into different groups based on their region of operation. The Indian Army is divided
administratively into seven tactical commands, each under the control of
different Lieutenant Generals. The Indian Air Force is divided into five operational
and two functional commands. Each command is headed by an air officer
commanding-in-chief with the rank of air marshal. The Indian Navy operates
three commands. Each command is headed by a flag officer commanding-in-
chief with the rank of vice admiral. There are two joint commands whose head can
belong to any of the three services. These are the Strategic Forces Command and
the Andaman and Nicobar Command. The lack of an overall military commander has
helped keep the Indian Armed Forces under civilian control, and has prevented the
rise of military dictatorships unlike in neighbouring Pakistan.
The Armed Forces have four main tasks :

 To assert the territorial integrity of India.

 To defend the country if attacked by a foreign nation.
 To support the civil community in case of disasters (e.g. flooding).
 To participate in United Nations peacekeeping operations in consonance with
India's commitment to the United Nations Charter.
The code of conduct of the Indian military is detailed in a semi-official book
called Customs and Etiquette in the Services, written by retired Major General Ravi
Arora, which details how Indian personnel are expected to conduct themselves
generally. Arora is an executive editor of the Indian Military Review.
The major deployments of the Indian army constitute the border regions of India,
particularly Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, and Northeast India, to engage in counter-
insurgency and anti-terrorist operations. The major commitments of the Indian Navy
constitute patrol missions, anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia, the
'Singapore Indian Maritime Bilateral Exercise with the Republic of Singapore Navy in
the Straits of Malacca, maintaining a military presence in Southeast Asias waters,
and joint exercises with other countries, such as: Brasil, South Africa, the United
States and Japan, France (Varuna naval exercises), the People's Republic of China,
the Russian Navy (INDRA naval exercises), and others.
 INDIAN AIR FORCE

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement
of personnel and aircraft assets ranks fourth amongst the air forces of the world. Its
primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during
armed conflict. It was officially established on 8 October 1932 as an auxiliary air
force of the British Empire which honoured India's aviation service during World
War II with the prefix Royal. After India gained independence from the United
Kingdom in 1947, the name Royal Indian Air Force was kept and served in the name
of Dominion of India. With the government's transition to a Republic in 1950,
the prefix Royal was removed after only three years. Since 1950 the IAF has been
involved in four wars with neighboring Pakistan and one with the People's
Republic of China. Other major operations undertaken by the IAF
include Operation Vijay, Operation Meghdoot, Operation Cactus and Operation
Poomalai .The IAF's mission expands beyond engagement with hostile forces,
with the IAF participating in United Nations peacekeeping missions. The President of
India holds the rank of Supreme Commander of the IAF. As of 1 July 2017, 139,576
personnel are in service with the Indian Air Force. The Chief of Air Staff, an air chief
marshal, is a four-star officer and is responsible for the bulk of operational command
of the AirForce. There is never more than one serving ACM at any given time in the
IAF. The rank of Marshal of the Air Force has been conferred by the President of
India on one occasion in history, to Arjan Singh . On 26 January 2002 Singh
became the first and so far, only five-star rank officer of the IAF. The IAF bears the
responsibility of safeguarding Indian airspace and thus furthering national interests in
conjunction with the other branches of the armed forces. The IAF provides close air
support to the Indian Army troops on the battlefield as well as strategic and tactical
airlift capabilities. The Integrated Space Cell is operated by the Indian Armed Forces,
the civilian Department of Space, and the Indian Space Research Organisation. By
uniting the civilian run space exploration organizations and the military faculty under
a single Integrated Space Cell the military is able to efficiently benefit from innovation
in the civilian sector of space exploration, and the civilian departments benefit as
well. The Indian Air Force, with highly trained crews, pilots, and access to modern
military assets provides India with the capacity to provide rapid response evacuation,
search-and-rescue (SAR) operations, and delivery of relief supplies to affected areas
via cargo aircraft. The IAF provided extensive assistance to relief operations during
natural calamities such as the Gujarat cyclone in 1998, the tsunami in 2004,
and North India floods in 2013. The IAF has also undertaken relief missions such as
Operation Rainbow in Sri Lanka. The Indian Air Force was established on 8 October
1932 in British India as an auxiliary air force of the Royal Air Force. The enactment
of the Indian Air Force Act 1932 stipulated out their auxiliary status and enforced the
adoption of the Royal Air Force uniforms, badges, brevets and insignia. On 1 April
1933, the IAF commissioned its first squadron, No.1 Squadron.
 FORMATION AND ITS MISSIONS

The Indian Air Force was established on 8 October 1932 in British India as an
auxiliary air force of the Royal Air Force. The enactment of the Indian Air Force Act
1932 stipulated out their auxiliary status and enforced the adoption of the Royal Air
Force uniforms, badges, brevets and insignia. On 1 April 1933, the IAF
commissioned its first squadron, No.1 Squadron, with four Westland Wapiti
biplanes and five Indian pilots. The Indian pilots were led by
British RAF Commanding officer Flight Lieutenant (later Air Vice Marshal) Cecil
Bouchier.

 Its missions are as follows :

World War II (1939–1945)

During World War II, the IAF played an instrumental role in halting the advance of
the Japanese army in Burma, where the first IAF air strike was executed. The target
for this first mission was the Japanese military base in Arakan , after which IAF
strike missions continued against the Japanese airbases at Mae Hong Son, Chiang
Mai and Chiang Rai in northern Thailand. The IAF was mainly involved
in strike, close air support, aerial reconnaissance, bomber escort and pathfinding
missions for RAF and USAAF heavy bombers. RAF and IAF pilots would train by
flying with their non-native air wings to gain combat experience and communication
proficiency. IAF pilots participated in air operations in Europe as part of the RAF.
During the war, the IAF experienced a phase of steady expansion. New aircraft
added to the fleet included the US-built Vultee Vengeance , Douglas Dakota, the
British Hawker Hurricane, Supermarine Spitfire , and Westland Lysander.

Changes in IAF (1962-1971)

Three years after the Sino-Indian conflict, in 1965, Pakistan launched Operation
Gibraltar, strategy of Pakistan to infiltrate Jammu and Kashmir, and start a rebellion
against Indian rule. This came to be known as the Second Kashmir War. This was
the first time the IAF actively engaged an enemy air force. However, instead of
providing close air support to the Indian Army, the IAF carried out independent raids
against PAF bases. These bases were situated deep inside Pakistani territory,
making IAF fighters vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire. During the course of the conflict,
the PAF enjoyed technological superiority over the IAF and had achieved substantial
strategic and tactical advantage due to their sudden attack and whole hearted
diplomatic and military support from the US and Britain. The IAF was restrained by
the government from retaliating to PAF attacks in the eastern sector while a
substantive part of its
combat force was deployed there and could not be transferred to the western sector,
against the possibility of Chinese intervention. Moreover, international (UN)
stipulations and norms did not permit military force to be introduced into the Indian
state of J&K beyond what was agreed during the 1949 ceasefire. Despite this,
the IAF was able to prevent the PAF from gaining air superiority over conflict
zones. The small and nimble IAF Folland Gnats proved effective against the F-86
Sabres of the PAF earning it the nickname "Sabre Slayers". By the time
the conflict had ended, the IAF lost 60–70 aircraft, while the PAF lost 43
aircraft. More than 60% of IAF's aircraft losses took place in Ground Attack
missions to enemy ground-fire, since fighter-bomber aircraft would carry out
repeated dive attacks on the same target.

Kargil War (1999)

IAF An-32s maintained a continuous air link between air bases in South India and
Northern Sri Lanka transporting men, equipment, rations and evacuating casualties.
Mi-8s supported the ground forces and also provided air transportation to the Sri
Lankan civil administration during the elections. Mi-25s of No. 125 Helicopter Unit
were utilised to provide suppressive fire against militant strong points and to interdict
coastal and clandestine riverine traffic. On 11 May 1999, the Indian Air Force was
called in to provide close air support to the Indian Army at the height of the ongoing
Kargil conflict with the use of helicopters. [69] The IAF strike was code
named Operation Safed Sagar. The first strikes were launched on 26 May, when the
Indian Air Force struck infiltrator positions with fighter aircraft and helicopter
gunships. The initial strikes saw MiG-27s carrying out offensive sorties, with MiG-
21s and later MiG- 29s providing fighter cover. The IAF also deployed its radars and
the MiG-29 fighters in vast numbers to keep check on Pakistani military movements
across the border. Srinagar Airport was at this time closed to civilian air-traffic and
dedicated to the Indian Air Force. The Indian Air Force suffered its first fatality when
it lost a MiG-21 and a MiG-27 in quick succession. The following day, while on an
offensive sortie, a Mi-17 was shot down by three Stinger missiles and lost its entire
crew of four. Following these losses the IAF immediately withdrew helicopters from
offensive roles as a measure against the threat of Man- portable air-defence
systems (MANPAD). On 30 May, the Mirage 2000s were introduced in offensive
capability, as they were deemed better in performance under the high-altitude
conditions of the conflict zone. Mirage 2000s were not only better equipped to
counter the MANPAD threat compared to the MiGs, but also gave IAF the ability to
carry out aerial raids at night. The MiG-29s were used extensively to provide fighter
escort to the Mirage 2000. Radar transmissions of Pakistani F-16s were picked up
repeatedly, but these aircraft stayed away. The Mirages successfully targeted enemy
camps and logistic bases in Kargil and severely disrupted their supply lines. Mirage
2000s were used for strikes on Muntho Dhalo and the heavily

defended Tiger Hill and paved the way for their early recapture.
STRUCTURE, COMMANDS, WINGS & COMMANDO FORCE

Structure
The President of India is the Supreme Commander of all Indian armed forces and by
virtue of that fact is the national Commander-in-chief of the Air Force. The Chief of
the Air Staff with the rank of air chief marshal is the Commander of the Indian Air
Force.

Commands
The Indian Air Force is divided into five operational and two functional commands.
Each Command is headed by an Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief with the rank of
Air Marshal. The purpose of an operational command is to conduct military
operations using aircraft within its area of responsibility, whereas the responsibility of
functional commands is to maintain combat readiness. Aside from the Training
Command at Bangalore, the primary flight training is done at the Air Force Academy,
followed by operational training at various other schools. Advanced officer training
for command positions is also conducted at the Defence Services Staff College;
specialised advanced flight training schools are located at Bidar , Karnataka and
Hakimpet , Telangana also the location for helicopter training.

Wings
A wing is a formation intermediate between a command and a squadron. It generally
consists of two or three IAF squadrons and helicopter units, along with forward base
support units (FBSU). FBSUs do not have or host any squadrons or helicopter units
but act as transit airbases for routine operations. In times of war, they can become
fully fledged air bases playing host to various squadrons. In all, about 47 wings and
19 FBSUs make up the IAF. Wings are typically commanded by an air commodore.

Garud Commando Force

The IAF established its own special operation unit called the Garud Commando
Force ,consisting of approximately 1,500 personnel. For starting this special force
volunteers fromexisting trades were called and sent for commando and specialised
training at various institutesof army and other forces. The airmen who successfully
completed all course were inducted inGarud force, while special recruitment and
selections from various IAF training institute weremade for selecting young air
warriors for Garud SF.
 During hostilities, Garuds undertake combat search and rescue, rescue of downed
airmen and other forces from behind enemy lines, suppression of enemy air defence
(SEAD), radar busting, combat control, missile and munitions guidance
("lasing" of targets) and other missions in support of air operations. It has
been suggested that they undertake an offensive role including raids on enemy air
bases etc. during times of war. Apart from protecting air bases from sabotage and
attacks by commando raids, they are also tasked to seal off weapons systems,
fighter hangars and other major systems during intrusions and conflicts. and disaster
relief during calamities.

Personnel

The personnel strength of the Indian Air Force after analysing open-source
intelligence. The public policy organisation GlobalSecurity.org had estimated that the
IAF had an estimated strength of 110,000 active personnel in 1994. In 2006,
Anthony Cordesman estimated that strength to be 170,000 in the International
Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) publication "The Asian Conventional
Military Balance in 2006". [135] In 2010, James Hackett revised that estimate
to an approximate strength of 127,000 active personnel As of 1 July 2017, the Indian
Air Force has a sanctioned strength of 12,550 officers (12,404 serving with 146
under strength), and 142,529 airmen (127,172 serving with 15,357
understrength).Officers There are four entry points to become an officer. Male
applicants, who are between the ages of 16-1/2 and 19 and have passed high school
graduation, can apply at the Intermediate level. Men and women applicants, who
have graduated from college (three-year course) and are between the ages of 18
and 28, can apply at the Graduate level entry. Graduates of engineering colleges
can apply at the Engineer level if they are between the ages of 18 and 28 years. The
age limit for the flying and ground duty branch is 23 years of age and for technical
branch is 28 years of age. After completing a master's degree, men and
women between the ages of 18 and 28 years can apply at the Graduate level. Post
graduate applicants do not qualify for the flying branch. For the technical branch the
age limit is 28 years and for the ground duty branch it is 25. At the time of
application, all applicants below 25 years of age must be single. The IAF selects
candidates for officer training from these applicants. After completion of training, a
candidate is commissioned as a Flying Officer.

Airmen
The duty of an airman is to make sure that all the air and ground operations run
smoothly.From operating Air Defence systems to fitting missiles, they are involved in
all activities of an air base and give support to various technical and non-technical
jobs. The airmen of Technical trades are responsible for maintenance, repair and
prepare for use the propulsion system of aircraft and other airborne weapon delivery
system, Radar, Voice/Data transmission and reception equipment, latest airborne
weapon delivery systems, all types of light, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic
systems of airborne missiles, aero engines, aircraft fuelling equipment and

heavy duty mechanical vehicles, cranes and loading equipment etc. The competent
and qualified Airmen from Technical trades also participate in flying as Flight
Engineers, Flight Signallers and Flight Gunners. Aircraft InventoryThe Indian Air
Force has aircraft and equipment of Russian (erstwhile Soviet Union), British,
French, Israeli, US and Indian origins with Russian aircraft dominating its inventory.
HAL produces some of the Russian and British aircraft in India under license. The
exact number of aircraft in service with the Indian Air Force cannot be determined
with precision from open sources. Various reliable sources provide notably divergent
estimates for a variety of high-visibility aircraft. ] Flight International estimates there
to be around 1,721 aircraft in service with the IAF, while the International Institute for
Strategic Studies provides a similar estimate of 1,724 aircraft. Both sources agree
there are approximately 900 combat capable (fighter, attack etc.) aircraft in the IAF.

Multi-role fighters and strike aircraft

Sukhoi Su-30MKI: The IAF's primary air superiority fighter with the additional
capability to conduct air-ground (strike) missions is Sukhoi Su-30MKI

The Mikoyan MiG-29 is a dedicated air superiority fighter and constitutes a second
line of defence after the Sukhoi Su-30MKI. 69 MiG-29s are in service

Dassault Mirage 2000: The Dassault Mirage 2000 is the primary multirole fighter,
the IAF currently operates 49 Mirage 2000Hs and 8 Mirage 2000 TH all of which are
currently being upgraded to the Mirage 2000-5 MK2.

HAL Tejas: The MiG-21s are planned to be replaced by the indigenously built HAL
Tejas. The first Tejas IAF unit.

Squadron IAF Flying Daggers was formed on 1 July 2016 with two aircraft. Initially
being stationed at Bangalore, the first squadron will be placed at its home base at
Sulur, Tamil Nadu. The Tejas will be 40 aircraft of the MK1 variant and 83 of the
MK1A variant. The latter will have an AESA radar, improved EW fit and internal
changes for ease of maintenance.
 SEPECAT Jaguar: The SEPECAT Jaguar known as Shamsher serves as the
IAF's primary ground attack force. The IAF currently operates 139 Jaguars. The
first batch of DARIN-1 Jaguars are now going through a DARIN-3 upgrade being
equipped with EL/M-2052 AESA radars, and an improved jamming suite plus new
avionic.

Helicopters

The HAL Dhruv serves primarily as a light utility helicopter in the IAF. In addition to
transport and utility roles, newer Dhruvs are also used as attack helicopters. Four
Dhruvs are also operated by the Indian Air Force Sarang Helicopter Display
Team. The HAL Chetak is a light utility helicopter and is used primarily for training,
rescue and light transport roles in the IAF. The HAL Chetak is being gradually
replaced by HAL Dhruv The HAL Cheetah is a light utility

helicopter used for high altitude operations. It is used for both transport and search
and-rescue missions in the IAF. The Mil Mi-8 and the Mil Mi-17, Mi-17 1V and Mi-
17V 5 are operated by the IAF for medium lif strategic and utility roles. The Mi-8 is
being progressively replaced by the Mi-17 series of helicopters. The IAF has ordered
22 Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, 68 HAL Light Combat Helicopters
(LCH), 35 HAL Rudra attack helicopters, 15 CH-47F Chinook heavy lift helicopters
and 150 Mi-17V-5s to replace and augment its existing fleet of Mi-8s, Mi-17s, and
MI-24s.

Land Based missile System Surface-To Air Missiles

The air force operates twenty-five squadrons of S-125 Pechora, six squadrons
of 9K33 Osa-AK, ten flights of 9K38 Igla-1, two squadrons of Akash along with a
single squadron of SPYDER for air defence. Six squadrons of Akash were ordered
in 2010 and an order for seven more squadrons is planned. Future achievements
Single -enginned Fighter

On 3 January 2017, Minister of Defence Manohar Parrikar addressed a media

conference and

announced plans for a competition to select a Strategic Partner to deliver "...

200 new single

engine fighters to be made in India, which will easily cost around (USD)$45 million
apiece

without weaponry" with an expectation that Lockheed Martin (USA)

and Saab (Sweden) will

pitch the F-16 Block 70 and Gripen , respectively. An MoD official said that a global
tender will
be put to market in the first quarter of 2018, with a private company nominated as
the strategic

partners production agency followed by a two or more year process to evaluate

technical and

financial bids and conduct trials, before the final government-to-government deal in
2021. This

represents 11 squadrons of aircraft plus several 'attrition' aircraft. [213]

India is also planning to

set up an assembly line of American Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon Block
70 in
Bengaluru.