| Infantry | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1758–present |
| Country |  British India  India |
| Allegiance | Republic of India |
| Branch |  British East India Company  British Indian Army  Indian Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Regimental colours | Red |
| Anniversaries | 27 October (Infantry Day) |
The infantry of the Indian army is the largest arm of the Indian army. It consists of personnel, who historically have engaged in ground combat on foot. It presently also consists of mechanised and airborne infantry.
The infantry was historically the first combat arm in any army. The present regiments of the Indian Army trace their origin to the British East India Company, when Indians were employed to protect their trading stations. From the middle of the eighteenth century, the three presidencies of the company began to maintain armies at Calcutta (Bengal Army), Madras (Madras Army) and Bombay (Bombay Army). The presidency armies had their own Regiments and cadre of European officers. There were European regiments, where both the officers and men were Europeans, as well as 'Native' regiments, which were officered by Europeans, but the other ranks were Indians. The recruitment of Indians was usually done locally, with battalions each drawn from single castes, or and from specific communities or geographical areas. This pattern of recruitment continues to this day in many of the older regiments. Following the Indian Rebellion of 1857, 55 out of 70 infantry regiments of the Bengal Army were disbanded and more infantry regiment raised from Punjab and those including Gorkhas. Indian troops maintained internal security in the country, fought for the defence of the North-West Frontier and were sent abroad to take part many conflict zones of the British empire. The infantrymen subsequently served in the two world wars with distinction. [1] [2] [3]
Each regiment consists of more than one infantry battalion. A battalion is commanded by an officer of the rank of Colonel. The battalion is further divided into four rifle companies, one headquarters company and at times a support company. Each company is commanded by an officer of the rank of a Major or a Captain. A company will have three platoons, which in turn will have three sections. In addition, each battalion has a Ghatak platoon, which is a special operations capable reconnaissance platoon. An infantry battalion usually has a strength of 15-20 officers and 650-800 other ranks. The latter includes Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs), Non Commissioned Officers (NCOs) and other ranks (ORs). [4] [5] [6]
The Indian Army has four types of regiments based on class composition [7] [8] -
Based on role, the regiments can be classified as-
The regiments, date of formation, regimental centre, number of battalions (regular, Territorial Army (TA) and Rashtriya Rifles (RR), motto and war cry are as follows. [7]
| Regiment | Active From | Regimental Centre | Reg. Bn. | TA Bn. | RR Bn. | Motto | War Cry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madras Regiment | 1758 | Wellington, Tamil Nadu | 21 | 3 | 4 | "Swadharme nidhanam shreyaha" ("It is a glory to die doing one's duty") | "Veera Madrassi, Adi Kollu, Adi Kollu" ("Brave Madrassi, Strike and Kill, Strike and Kill!") |
| Rajputana Rifles | 1775 | Delhi Cantonment | 19 | 2 | 4 | "Veer bhogya vasundhara" ("The brave shall inherit the earth") | "Raja Ramachandra ki jai" ("Victory to King Ramachandra") |
| Rajput Regiment | 1778 | Fatehgarh, Uttar Pradesh | 20 | 2 | 4 | "Sarvatra vijay" ("Victory everywhere") | "Bol Bajrang Bali Ki jai" ("Say victory to Hanuman") |
| Dogra Regiment | 1877 | Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh | 20¶ | 4 | 4 | "Kartavyam anvatma" ("Duty before death") | "Jawala Mata ki jai" ("Victory to Mother Jawala") |
| Sikh Regiment | 1846 | Ramgarh Cantonment, Jharkhand | 20 | 3 | 3 | "Nischay kar apni jeet karon" ("With determination, I will be triumphant") | "Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akaal" ("Whoever utters, shall be fulfilled, True is the Great Timeless One") "Waheguru Ji Da Khalsa Waheguru Ji Di Fateh" ("The Khalsa belongs to the Wondrous Enlightener! Victory belongs to the Wondrous Enlightener") |
| Jat Regiment | 1795 | Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh | 22 | 2 | 4 | "Sangathan va veerta" ("Unity and valour") | "Jat balwan, jai bhagwan" ("The Jat is strong, victory to the Fortunate God") |
| Parachute Regiment | 1945 | Bengaluru, Karnataka | 15 | 2 | 1 | "Shatrujeet" ("The conqueror") | "Balidan Param Dharma" ("Sacrifice, Supreme Duty") |
| Punjab Regiment | 1761 | Ramgarh Cantonment, Jharkhand | 21 | 3 | 4 | "Sthal wa jal" ("By land and sea") | "Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal" ("Shout Aloud in Ecstasy, True is the Great Eternal God!"); "Bol Jawala Ma ki jai" ("Say victory to Mother Jawala") |
| The Grenadiers | 1778 | Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh | 23 | 2 | 4 | "Naam, Namak, Nishan" ("Name, Salt, Mark") | "Sarvada shaktishali" ("Always strong") |
| Sikh Light Infantry | 1944 | Fatehgarh, Uttar Pradesh | 19 | 3 | 3 | "Deg Tegh Fateh" ("Victory to charity and arms") | "Jo Bole So Nihal Sat Sri Akal" ("Whoever utters, shall be fulfilled, True is the Great Timeless One!") |
| Maratha Light Infantry | 1768 | Belgaum, Karnataka | 22 | 2 | 4 | "Duty, honour, courage" | "Bola Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ki jai ("Say victory to Great King Shivaji); "Temlai Mata ki Jai" ("victory to Mother Temlai"); Har Har Mahadev" ("O Lord Mahadev you are omnipresent") |
| The Garhwal Rifles | 1887 | Lansdowne, Uttarakhand | 21¶ | 2 | 3 | "Yudhaya krit nischya" ("Fight with determination") | "Badri Vishal Lal ki jai" ("Victory to the Great Lord Badri Nath") |
| Kumaon Regiment | 1813 | Ranikhet, Uttarakhand | 20¶ | 2 | 3 | "Parakramo vijayate" ("Valour triumphs") | "Kalika Mata ki jai" ("Victory to Mother Kali"); "Bajrang Bali ki jai" ("victory to Lord Hanuman"); "Dada Kishan ki jai" ("Victory to Dada Kishan") |
| Assam Regiment | 1941 | Shillong, Meghalaya | 15 | 5 | 3 | "Assam vikram" ("Unique valour") | "Rhino charge" |
| Bihar Regiment | 1941 | Danapur, Bihar | 22 | 2 | 4 | "Karm hi dharm" ("Work is worship") | "Bajrang Bali Ki Jai" (Victory to Lord Hanuman) ; "Har Har Mahadev" ("O Lord Mahadev, you are omnipresent") |
| Mahar Regiment | 1815 | Saugor, Madhya Pradesh | 21 | 3 | 3 | "Yash sidhi" ("Success and attainment") | "Bolo Hindustan ki jai" ("Say victory to India") |
| Jammu & Kashmir Rifles | 1821 | Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh | 21 | 4 | 3 | "Prashata ranvirta" ("Valour in battle is praiseworthy") | "Durga Mata ki jai" ("Victory to Mother Durga") |
| Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry | 1947 | Avantipur, Jammu and Kashmir | 20 | 3 | - | "Balidanam vir lakshanam " ("Sacrifice is a characteristic of the brave") | "Bharat Mata ki jai" ("Victory to Mother India") |
| Naga Regiment | 1970 | Ranikhet, Uttarakhand | 3 | 1 | 1 | "Parakramo vijayate" ("Valour triumphs") | "Jai Durga Naga" ("Victory to Durga Naga") |
| 1 Gorkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment) | 1815 | Subathu, Himachal Pradesh | 6 | 1§ | "Kayar hunu bhanda marnu ramro" ("Better to die than live like a coward") | "Jai Ma Kali, ayo Gorkhali" ("Hail Mother Kali, here come the Gorkhas") | |
| 3 Gorkha Rifles | 1815 | Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh | 5 | 1§ | 1§ | "Kayar hunu bhanda marnu ramro" ("Better to die than live like a coward") | "Jai Ma Kali, ayo Gorkhali" ("Hail Mother Kali, here come the Gorkhas") |
| 4 Gorkha Rifles | 1857 | Sabathu, Himachal Pradesh | 5 | 1§ | "Kayar hunu bhanda marnu ramro" ("Better to die than live like a coward") | "Jai Ma Kali, ayo Gorkhali" ("Hail Mother Kali, here come the Gorkhas") | |
| 5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) | 1858 | Shillong, Meghalaya | 6 | 1§ | "Shaurya evam nistha" ("Courage and determination") | "Jai Ma Kali, ayo Gorkhali" ("hail Mother Kali, here come the Gorkhas") | |
| 8 Gorkha Rifles | 1824 | Shillong, Meghalaya | 5 | 1§ | "Kayar hunu bhanda marnu ramro" ("Better to die, than live like a coward") | "Jai Ma Kali, ayo Gorkhali" ("Hail Mother Kali, here come the Gorkhas") | |
| 9 Gorkha Rifles | 1817 | Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh | 5 | 1§ | 1§ | "Kayar hunu bhanda marnu ramro" ("Better to die, than live like a coward") | Jai Ma Kali, Ayo Gorkhali ("Hail Mother Kali, here come the Gorkhas") |
| 11 Gorkha Rifles | 1918–1922; from 1948 | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh | 6 | 1 | "Yatraham vijayastatra" ("Victory resides where I reside") | "Jai Ma Kali, Ayo Gorkhali ("Hail Mother Kali, here come the Gorkhas") | |
| Ladakh Scouts | 1963 | Leh, Ladakh | 5 | "Ki ki so so Lhargyalo" ("Victory to God") | |||
| Arunachal Scouts | 2010 | Rayang, Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh | 2 | ||||
| Sikkim Scouts | 2013 | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh | 2 |
¶ The Dogra Regiment, Garhwal Rifles, Kumaon Regiment have a scout battalion each, in addition to the above-mentioned battalions. Arunachal Scouts is affiliated to Assam Regiment, Ladakh Scouts to Jammu and Kashmir Rifles and Sikkim Scouts is to 11 Gorkha Rifles.
§ Since the Gorkha Regiments have relatively smaller number of battalions, 1 Gorkha Rifles and 4 Gorkha Rifles provide troops for 15 Rashtriya Rifles battalion, 3 Gorkha Rifles and 9 Gorkha Rifles for 32 Rashtriya Rifles battalion, and 5 Gorkha Rifles and 8 Gorkha Rifles for 33 Rashtriya Rifles battalion. 3 Gorkha Rifles and 9 Gorkha Rifles are affiliated to 137 Composite Eco-Task Force Battalion (Territorial Army).
| Regiment | Active From | Regimental Centre | Reg. Bn. | TA Bn. | RR Bn. | Motto | War Cry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brigade of the Guards | 1949 | Kamptee, Maharashtra | 22 | 2 | 1 | "Pahla humesha Pahla ("First, always first") | "Garud ka hu bol pyare" ("I am the son of Garuda say O my friend") |
| Mechanised Infantry Regiment | 1979 | Ahmednagar, Maharashtra | 27 | "Valour and faith" | "Bolo Bharat Mata ki jai" ("Say Victory to Mother India") |
The Infantry School is the oldest and largest training institution of the Indian Army, training over 7,000 Officers, Junior Commissioned Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers annually. [9] [10] The origin of the present school can be traced to The School of Musketry at Changla Gali (now in Pakistan), which was established in the year 1886. Between 1886 and 1948, before it inherited its present name and came to be located at Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, [11] it passed through various names and locations: [12] -
| Year | Name | Loc |
|---|---|---|
| 1886 | School of Musketry | Changla Gali |
| 1888 | School of Musketry | Deolali |
| 1913 | School of Musketry | Satara and Belgaum |
| 1919 | Small Arms School | Pachmarhi |
| 1931 | Small Arms School | Ahmednagar |
| 1933 | Small Arms School | Saugar |
| 1935 | Indian NCO Training School | Jhansi |
| 1937 | Indian Infantry Platoon Commander's School | Faizabad |
| 1940 | Battle School and Tactics and Administration School | Dehradun |
| 1948 | Infantry School | Mhow |
In 1964, the Commando Wing was raised under The Infantry School in Mhow, which along with the Platoon Commanders' Wing was moved to Belgaum (Karnataka) under Junior Leaders' Wing. In 1971, The College of Combat was carved out of The Infantry School. In 1993, Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU) was raised under The Infantry School, as a consequence of which the erstwhile Army Shooting Team (AST) was reorganised into AMU. The shooters of AMU are trained in precision shooting and have secured recognition at both national and international levels. [13]
The Infantry School has three training wings namely Weapons and Trial Wing, Young Officers Wing and Junior Leaders Wing (at Belgaum). The Faculty of Studies (FOS) raised in 1992 undertakes conceptual studies. Trials of Infantry weapons, ammunition and equipment are also carried out at The Infantry School. A modern and a well-developed information technology setup at The Infantry School is utilized to provide latest training on IT and cyber awareness. The Infantry Museum and Research Centre has also been established in 2019.
The Infantry School is the alma mater of all infantrymen and is cradle for Infantry tactics and small arms training for the Indian Army. It is the seat of learning and the think tank of the Infantry. It keeps abreast with the tactical and technical development in India and abroad on all matters pertaining to the Infantry war fighting. The following courses are conducted at the Infantry School [14] -
The Infantry School crest consists of a bayonet against a red background. The motto of The Infantry School is – Vijayen Gyanen Shauryen which translates to Victory through Learning and Courage. [15]
Infantry Day is celebrated on 27 October every year to commemorate the landing of infantry troops at Srinagar airport in 1947. This momentous act turned back the Pakistani invaders from the outskirts of Srinagar and was a turning point in the 1947 War. [16]
The Infantry (India) Journal is the professional journal of the Infantry fraternity. It was first published in 1950. [17]
The 4th Infantry Division, also known as the Red Eagle Division, is an infantry division of the Indian Army. This division of the British Indian Army was formed in Egypt in 1939 during the Second World War. During the Second World War, it took part in campaigns in East Africa, Syria, North Africa and Italy. Post independence, the division is part of the I Corps and headquartered at Prayagraj.
Mhow, officially Dr. Ambedkar Nagar, is a town in the Indore district in Madhya Pradesh state of India. It is located 23 kilometres (14 mi) south-west of Indore city, towards Mumbai on the old Mumbai-Agra Road. In 2003, the Government of Madhya Pradesh renamed the town Dr. Ambedkar Nagar, after political reformer and town native B. R. Ambedkar.
The 4th Gorkha Rifles or the Fourth Gorkha Rifles, abbreviated as 4 GR, is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army comprising Gurkha soldiers of Indian Gorkha or Nepalese nationality, especially Magars and Gurungs hill tribes of Nepal. The Fourth Gorkha Rifles has five infantry battalions. The regiment was raised in 1857 as part of the British Indian Army. In 1947, after India's independence, the Fourth Gurkha Rifles became part of the Indian Army as the Fourth Gorkha Rifles.
The Dogra Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. The regiment traces its roots directly from the 17th Dogra Regiment of the British Indian Army. When transferred to the Indian Army like its sister regiments, the numeral prefix was removed. Dogra Regiment Units Maximum filled with Rajputs And Sikh. Units of the Dogra Regiment have fought in all conflicts that independent India has been engaged in, making it one of the most prestigious and most decorated regiments of the Indian Army.
The Parachute Regiment is an airborne and special forces regiment of the Indian Army. It was raised in 1945 as part of the British Indian Army but was disbanded after World War II and was re-raised in 1952 as part of the Indian Army. Currently it consists of fifteen Special Forces, two Territorial Army and one Rashtriya Rifles battalions.
The Kumaon Regiment is one of the oldest infantry regiments of the Indian Army. The regiment traces its origins to the 18th century and has fought in every major campaign of the British Indian Army and the Indian Army, including the two world wars, and is one of the highest decorated regiments of the Indian Army.
The Punjab Regiment is the second oldest regiment still in service in the Indian Army, and is the most senior regional infantry regiment. It was formed from the 2nd Punjab Regiment of the British Indian Army in 1947 and has taken part in various battles and wars since, winning numerous honours for the same.
The Mahar Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. Although it was originally intended to be a regiment consisting of troops from the Mahar community of Maharashtra, today the Mahar Regiment is composed of different communities from mainly states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.
The Rashtriya Rifles is a counter-insurgency force in India, formed in 1990, to deal with internal security in the Jammu and Kashmir region. They maintain public order by drawing powers from the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1990 (AFSPA). Its personnel are provided by the Indian Army on deputation.
A rifle regiment is a military unit consisting of a regiment of infantry troops armed with rifles and known as riflemen. While all infantry units in modern armies are typically armed with rifled weapons the term is still used to denote regiments that follow the distinct traditions that differentiated them from other infantry units.
The Assam Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. The regiment consists of 25 battalions: 15 regular battalions, 3 Rashtriya Rifles battalions, 5 Territorial Army battalions and 2 Arunachal Scouts battalions. It recruits exclusively from all the eight Northeastern states of India.
The 2nd Division was an infantry division of the Indian Army during World War II and was disbanded in 1944. In its present form, 2 Mountain Division, raised in 1962, is part of the Indian Army.
Lieutenant General Sagat Singh, PVSM was a General Officer in the Indian Army, notable for his participation in the liberation of Goa and later for his operational maneuver in crossing Meghna river and capturing Dhaka during Indo-Pakistani war of 1971. He held many commands and staff appointments throughout his career. He is regarded as the best Indian General to carry out operational maneuver during any war. Singh has been described as "the only military genius post-independence India has produced".
At the time of Indian Independence in 1947, as per the terms of the Britain–India–Nepal Tripartite Agreement, six Gorkha regiments, formerly part of the British Indian Army, became part of the Indian Army and have served ever since. The troops are mainly from ethnic Gurkha communities of Nepal. A seventh Gorkha Rifles regiment was formally re-raised in the Indian Army after Independence to accommodate the dedicated Gorkha soldiers of the 7th Gurkha Rifles and the 10th Gurkha Rifles who chose not to transfer to the British Army.
The 8th Gorkha Rifles is a Gorkha regiment of the Indian Army. It was raised in 1824 as part of the British East India Company and later transferred to the British Indian Army after the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The regiment served in World War I and World War II, before being one of the six Gurkha regiments transferred to the Indian Army after independence in 1947. Since then it has served in a number of conflicts including the Sino-Indian War of 1962 and the Indo-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971. Today the 8th Gorkha Rifles is one of the most celebrated regiments of the Indian Army, having received numerous citations for bravery in the field of battle, and even producing one of the two field marshals of India, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, of the Indian Army.
The 15th Indian Division was an infantry division of the British Indian Army that saw active service in the First World War. It served in the Mesopotamian Campaign on the Euphrates Front throughout its existence. It did not serve in the Second World War, but was reformed at Dehradun in 1964 as part of the post-independence Indian Army.
The Kargil War order of battle (KWORBAT), is a deposition and systematic combatant structure of the Indian Army troops and the unified Pakistan Armed Forces combat commands, active in the Kargil region in 1999, during the Kargil War. The Indian Army orbat is based on the publications provided by the Indian military authors, news media and official sources.
The Officers Training Academy (OTA) is a training establishment of the Indian Army that trains officers for the Short Service Commission (SSC). The 49-week course at the OTA prepares graduates for all branches of the Army, except for the Army Medical Corps. Established in 1963, the first academy is located in Alandur, a southern neighbourhood of Chennai. OTA chennai has an impressive tally of gallantry award including 1 Param Vir Chakra, 8 Ashoka Chakra, 10 Maha Vir Chakra, 22 Kirti Chakra, 63 Vir Chakra, 119 Shaurya Chakra and 587 Sena Medal earned by the officers commissioned from this academy bears testimony to the Valour and dedication displayed by the Alumni. A new academy was set up at Gaya in 2011; but was given the go-ahead in December 2019 to be disbanded.
The Indian military bands consists of musicians from the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. Indian military bands regularly participate in international festivals and take part in celebrations dedicated to various national events. These bands are permanent participants in the Delhi Republic Day parade on the Kartavya Path. Today, the Indian Armed Forces have more than 50 military brass bands and 400 pipe bands and corps of drums. A Tri-Services Band refers to a joint Indian Armed Forces military band that performs together as a unit. At the Spasskaya Tower Military Music Festival and Tattoo in Moscow, the band consisted of 7 officers and 55 musicians. The Military Music Wing of the Army Education Corps is the principal educational institution of the armed forces that provides instruction to musicians of all ranks. Instruction is also provided by the Military Music Training Center and the Indian Navy School of Music.
Officers and soldiers of the Indian Army wear cap badges on their beret or peaked caps. The design is based on the regimental insignia or coat of arms.
Arms and services of Indian Army | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat arms |
|  | ||||
| Support services |
| |||||