Military of India

Categories: Militaries | Military of India | Politics of India

Military of India
Image:EmblemofIndia.png
Military manpower
Total armed forces2,414,700 (Ranked 2nd)
Active troops1,325,000 (Ranked 3rd)
Paramilitary forces1,089,700 (Ranked 1st)
Conscription age16 years of age
Availabilitymales age 15-49: 287,551,111 (2005 est.)
Fit for military servicemales age 18-49: 219,471,999 (2005 est.)
Reaching conscription age annuallymales: 11,446,452 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures
USD figure16.97 billion US $ (2004 est.) [1]
Percent of GDP2.5% (2004 est.) [2]
Military branches
Image:In Army.gif Indian Army
Image:IndianNavyFlag.jpg Indian Navy
Image:Indian airforce flag.gif Indian Air Force
Image:In~cg.gif Indian Coast Guard
Military rank and insignia
Army ranks and insignia of India Naval ranks and insignia of India
Air Force ranks and insignia of India

The Military of India consists of the Indian Army, Navy (including naval air arm), Air Force, the Border Security Force, Assam Rifles, Rashtriya Rifles, National Security Guards, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Special Frontier Force, Central Reserve Police Force, National Cadet Corps, Defense Security Corps, and the Strategic Forces Command. India maintains the second largest armed forces in the world.

The Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces is the President of India, currently Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam.

The Military of India is the second-most numerous military in the world, after the People's Republic of China. Since its formation, the military has fought in both World Wars. Post-independence, it has fought three wars against Pakistan and a war with China. India also fought an extended border skirmish with Pakistan in 1999.

The Indian military possesses nuclear weapons and sufficient means — a range of missiles and aircraft — to deliver these over considerably long distances. However, India has a nuclear no-first-use policy and maintains a nuclear doctrine based on credible minimum deterrence. India is not a part of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, citing concerns that it unfairly favours the established nuclear powers, and provides no provision for complete nuclear disarmament. Indian officials argued that India's refusal to sign the treaty stemmed from its fundamentally discriminatory character; the treaty places restrictions on the nonnuclear weapons states but does little to curb the modernization and expansion of the nuclear arsenals of the nuclear weapons states.

The Indian armed forces are a volunteer only service; the military draft has never been imposed in India.

Contents

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Military branches of India

The highest wartime gallantry Award given by the Military of India is the Param Vir Chakra. Its peacetime equivalent is the Ashoka Chakra. The highest decoration for meritorious service is the Param Vishisht Seva Medal.

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See also

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Military branches

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Republic Day Parade
New Delhi, 2004
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See also

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Pre-independence
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Post-independence
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References

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External links


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