A Look At India’s Military

The official name of the Republic of India’s military arm is the Indian Armed Forces. It is made up of the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force, the Indian Navy and a few other military organizations. The President of the country is appointed the commander-in-chief of these armed forces, although it is the Prime Minister who holds executive authority. Both the internal and external security affairs of the country are the responsibility of The Ministry of Defense.

The Indian Armed Forces currently has more than 1,300,000 personnel in its ranks, making it the third largest military force in the world. In addition, India also employs a Coast Guard, a Paramilitary Force called the PMF, and a Strategic Forces Command. While the country’s defense budget is officially claimed at approximately $32.35 billion, it is thought that the actual defense expenditure is considerably higher. Plans are currently underway to develop a military space program for the country, a missile defense system, and nuclear capability, all of which are in line with the military’s goals for modernization and expansion.

The Indian Armed Forces achieved a certain amount of global prominence in the 1950s, with its support of the campaigns for independence by European colonies in Africa and Asia. India also participated in two separate military operations in Sri Lanka and Maldives, in which the Indian Peace Keeping Force and Operation Cactus were involved respectively.

With the end of the Sino-Indian War and the Indo-Pakistani War in 1965, India’s entered into a period of close ties with the Soviet Union, which caused a corresponding strain on US-India relationships. This tenuous relationship with the United States would continue throughout the rest of the Cold War.

India was involved in no less than three wars with neighboring country Pakistan, all of which were largely due to conflicts regarding Kashmir. The country was also instrumental in the establishment of Bangladesh in 1971. Numerous other smaller conflicts have erupted between Pakistan and India over the years, with the most notable ones being the Siachen Glacier conflict in 1984 and the Kargil skirmish in 1999.

The Indian Armed Forces have joined in on several SAARC and WTO initiatives over the years, with more than 55,000 Indian military and police troops going into active duty in over thirty U.N. sanctioned peace keeping missions all over the world.

The Indian Armed Forces’ nuclear capability has been the subject of much controversy in recent years, with the country remaining steadfast in its decision to maintain control over its nuclear program. The country also maintains close military defense ties with Russia, France and Israel, and it is these countries that supply India with much of their military equipment and weaponry. Today, the country’s Defense Research and Development Organization or DRDO is involved in efforts to increase local production of advanced military equipment.