MORE BANG FOR THE BUCK

A repository of history and tradition, the Indian armed forces have proved themselves in the heat of battle. It is now one of the world’s most modern militaries

- Pradip R. Sagar

The Indian military has gone through a series of changes since Independence. After the end of World War II, out of the 1.25 million wartime troops in the old Indian Army, tens of thousands were demobilised, many units disbanded. With Partition came the division of the Indian armed forces between India and Pakistan in the ratio of two-third to one-third. Steeped in traditions, and matching pomp and circumstance that go back to the 18th century for some regime­ nts, India today has the second largest military in the world, with 1.4 million personnel and 960,000 reserves. The Indian military has fought four wars against Pakistan, including the 1999 border conflict in Kargil.