Military of India
From Freepedia
| Military of India | |
| Image:EmblemofIndia.png | |
| Military manpower | |
| Total armed forces | 2,414,700 (Ranked 2nd) |
| Active troops | 1,325,000 (Ranked 3rd) |
| Paramilitary forces | 1,089,700 (Ranked 1st) |
| Conscription age | 16 years of age |
| Availability | males age 15-49: 287,551,111 (2005 est.) |
| Fit for military service | males age 18-49: 219,471,999 (2005 est.) |
| Reaching conscription age annually | males: 11,446,452 (2005 est.) |
| Military expenditures | |
| USD figure | 16.97 billion US $ (2004 est.) [1] |
| Percent of GDP | 2.5% (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 |
Military branches of India
- Indian Army
- Indian Air Force
- Indian Navy
- Indian Coast Guard
- Paramilitary Forces (includes BSF and NSG)
- Strategic Nuclear Command
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.
See also
Military branches
Republic Day Parade
New Delhi, 2004
- Indian Army
- Indian Air Force
- Indian Navy
- Indian Coast Guard
- Border Security Force
- Strategic Nuclear Command
Related articles
Pre-independence
Post-independence
- India and weapons of mass destruction
- Indo-Pakistani Wars
- Sino-Indian War
- Indian Peace Keeping Force
- Integrated Guided Missile Development Program
References
- CIA World Factbook 2005: India
- Militarism in India: The Army and Civil Society in Consensus- by A. Kundu
External links
- India Defence- Defence, Military & Strategic Affairs Portal
- BharatRakshak.com- Informative site on the Indian Military
- Indian Armed Forces - Indian military's official website
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