TheIndian Army(IA,Hindi: ,Bhratya Thalsn) is theland-based branchand the largest component of theIndian Armed Forces. ThePresident of Indiaserves as the de jure Commander-in-Chief of the army while the de facto leadership lies with Minister of Defence, and it is commanded by theChief of Army Staff(COAS), who is afour-stargeneral. Two officers have been conferred the rank ofField marshal, aFive-star rank, which is a ceremonial position of great honour. The Indian Army originated from the armies of theEast India Company, which eventually became theBritish Indian Armyand finally the national army afterindependence. The units and regiments of the Indian Army have diverse histories and have participated in a number of battles and campaigns across the world, earning a large number ofbattle and theatre honoursbefore and after Independence.[4]The primary mission of the Indian Army is to ensurenational securityand unity,defendingthe nation from external aggression and threats, and maintaining peace and security within its borders. It conducts humanitarian rescue operations during natural calamities and other disturbances, likeOperation Surya Hope, and can also be requisitioned by the government to cope with internal threats. It is a major component of national power alongside theIndian Navyand theIndian Air Force.[5]The army has been involved in four wars with neighbouring Pakistan and one with China. Other major operations undertaken by the army includeOperation Vijay,Operation MeghdootandOperation Cactus. Apart from conflicts, the army has conducted large peace time exercises likeOperation Brasstacksand Exercise Shoorveer, and it has also been an active participant in numerousUnited Nations peacekeeping missionsincluding the ones in Cyprus, Lebanon, Congo, Angola, Cambodia, Vietnam, Namibia, El Salvador, Liberia, Mozambique and Somalia.The Indian Army has aregimental system, but is operationally and geographically divided intoseven commands, with the basic field formation being adivision. It is anall-volunteer forceand comprises more than 80% of the country's active defence personnel. It isone of the largest standing armiesin the world, with 1,129,900 active troops and 960,000 reserve troops.[6]The army has embarked on an infantry modernisation programme known as Futuristic Infantry Soldier As a System (F-INSAS), and is also upgrading and acquiring new assets for its armoured, artillery and aviation branches.

A Military Department was created within the Supreme Government of theEast India CompanyatKolkatain the year 1776. Its main function was to sift and record orders relating to the Army that were issued by various Departments of the Government of the East India Company[10]With the Charter Act of 1833, the Secretariat of the Government of the East India Company was reorganised into four Departments, including a Military Department. The army in the Presidencies ofBengal,Bombay&Madrasfunctioned as respective Presidency Army until April 1895, when the Presidency Armies were unified into a singleIndian Army. For administrative convenience, it was divided into four commands at that point of time, namely Punjab (including the North West Frontier), Bengal, Madras (including Burma) and Bombay (including Sind, Quetta and Aden)

1.3 million Indian soldiers served inWorld War I(19141918) for theAllies, in which 74,187 Indian troops were killed or missing in action.[12]After the United Kingdom made vague promises of self-governance to theIndian National Congressin return for its support. Britain reneged on its promises after the war, following which theIndian Independence movementgained strength.The "Indianisation" of the British Indian Army began with the formation of thePrince of Wales Royal Indian Military Collegeat Dehradun in March 1912 with the purpose of providing education to the scions of aristocratic and well-to-do Indian families and to prepare selected Indian boys for admission into theRoyal Military College, Sandhurst. Indian officers given a King's commission after passing out were posted to one of theeight unitsselected for Indianisation. Political pressure being applied due to the slow pace of Indianisation, with just 69 officers being commissioned between 1918 and 1932, led to the formation of theIndian Military Academyin 1932 and greater numbers of officers of Indian origin being commissioned.[13]InWorld War IIIndian soldiers fought for theAllies. In 1939, British officials had no plan for expansion and training of Indian forces, which comprised about 130,000 men (in addition there were 44,000 men in British units in India in 1939). Their mission was internal security and defence against a possible Soviet threat through Afghanistan. As the war progressed, the size and role of the Indian Army expanded dramatically, and troops were sent to battle fronts as soon as possible. The most serious problem was lack of equipment.[14]In the African and Middle-Eastern Campaigns, captured Indian troops were given a choice to join the German Army to eventually "liberate" India from Great Britain instead of being sent toPOW camps. These men, along with Indian students who were in Germany when the war broke out, made up what was called theFree India Legion. They were originally intended as pathfinders for German forces in Asia but they soon were sent to help guard theAtlantic Wall. Few who were part of the Free India Legion ever saw any combat and very few were ever stationed outside of Europe. At its height the Free India Legion had over 3,000 troops in its ranks.[15]Indian units served in Burma, where in 194445 five Indian divisions were engaged along with one British and three African divisions. Even larger numbers operated in the Middle East. Some 87,000 Indian soldiers died in the war.Elements of British Indian army played important part in Indian independence movement. In the1915 Singapore Mutinyand in World War Two, thousands of British Indian army soldiers rose up and fought against British, most importantly by joining theIndian National Army, which was allied with theEmpire of Japan, was raised by a former col of British Indian Army (Gen) Mohan Singh but later led by NetajiSubhas Chandra BoseandRash Bihari Bose. With the fall of Singapore in 1942, about 40,000 Indian soldiers were captured. They were given a choice and over 30,000 joined theIndian National Army. Those who refused became POWs and were mostly shipped to New Guinea.[16]After initial success it was defeated along with Japanese but it had huge impact on Indian independence movement. Similar organisations were also made in Germany and Japan. In 1946 Indian sailors revolted against British which resulted in1946 British Indian Navy Mutiny.