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The Indian Army 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 a large number of 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 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 army
has embarked on an infantry modernisation program known as Futuristic
Infantry Soldier As a System (F-INSAS), and is also upgrading and acquiring
new assets for its armoured, artillery and aviation branches.
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 airforces 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 honored 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 Air Force. 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 forceThe 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. When India became a republic in 1950,
the prefix 'Royal' was dropped from the Indian Air Force. At the
same time, the current IAF roundel was adopted. Its major role of
indo-china war at 1962,and india-pakistan war in (1965),
Bangladesh Liberation War (1971), kargil war in 1998.
Indian Navy
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
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.
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 1 July 2017, 67,228 personnel are in service with the
Navy. As of March 2018, the operational fleet consists of
one aircraft carrier, one amphibious transport dock, eight landing
ship tanks, 11 destroyers, 13 frigates, one nuclear-powered attack
submarine, one ballistic missile submarine, 14 conventionally-
powered attack submarines, 22 corvettes, one mine
countermeasure vessel, four fleet tankers and various
other auxiliary vessels. Rear Admiral John Talbot Savignac
Hall headed the Navy as its first Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C)
post-Independence. When India became a republic on 26 January
1950, the Royal prefix was dropped and the name Indian
Navy was officially adopted. The prefix for naval vessels
was changed from His Majesty's Indian Ship (HMIS) to Indian
Naval Ship (INS). At the same time, the imperial crown in insignia
was replaced with the Lion Capital of Ashoka and the Union Jack
in the canton of the White Ensign was replaced with the Indian
Tricolour.
In the 21st century, the Indian Navy has played an important role
in maintaining peace for India on the maritime front, in spite of the
state of foment in its neighbourhood. It has been deployed for
humanitarian relief in times of natural disasters and crises across
the globe, as well as to keep India's maritime trade routes free
and open.