Special Article : 68th Army Day

The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. 

The President of India serves as Commander-in-Chief of the army, and it is commanded by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four-star General. Two officers have been conferred the rank of Field marshal, a Five-star rank, which is a ceremonial position of great honour. The Indian Army originated from the armies of the East India Company, which eventually became the British Indian Army and finally the national army after independence. 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 of battle and theatre honours before and after Independence.

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The primary mission of the Indian Army is to ensure national security and unity, defending the nation from external aggression and threats, and maintaining peace and security within its borders. 

The Indian Army has a regimental system, but is operationally and geographically divided into seven commands, with the basic field formation being a division. It is an all-volunteer force and comprises more than 80% of the country's active defence personnel. It is the 2nd largest standing army in the world, with 1,129,900 active troops and 960,000 reserve troops.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.

Headquarters New Delhi

Motto "Service Before Self"

Colours Gold, red and black

Conflicts 

First Kashmir War (1947)

Annexation of Hyderabad (1948)

Medical assistance during Korean War (1950–1953)

Annexation of Goa, Daman and Diu (1961)

Sino-Indian War (1962)

Indo-Pakistani War of (1965)

1967- Sino-Indian Conflict

Operation against the Naxalites during (1971)

Bangladesh Liberation War of (1971)

Siachen conflict (1984)

Kargil war (1999)

operations

Operation Surya Hope

Operation Vijay, 

Operation Meghdoot and 

Operation Cactus. 

Operation Brasstacks

Exercise Ashwamedha

Yuddh Abhyas

Exercise Shakti

Exercise Shoorveer

Exercise Rudra Akrosh

Exercise Nomadic Elephant

It has also been an active participant in numerous United Nations peacekeeping missions including the ones in Cyprus, Lebanon, Congo, Angola, Cambodia, Vietnam, Namibia, El Salvador, Liberia, Mozambique and Somalia.

Hierarchy in the Indian Army is as follows.

Field Marshal

General

Lieutenant General

Major General

Brigadier

Colonel

Lieutenant Colonel

Major

Captain

Lieutenant

The major ongoing weapons programmes of the Indian Army are as follows:

Tanks and Armoured vehicles

Arjun MK-III

Futuristic Battle Tank (FMBT) 

FICV – Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicle

TATA Kestrel 

Missiles

Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles

Agni-V 

Agni-VI 

Cruise Missiles

Hypersonic missile

Nirbhay Missile

BrahMos - M

Tactical Ballistic Missiles

Prahaar (missile) 

Shaurya (missile) 

Anti-Tank Guided Missiles

Nag Anti-tank guided missile 

Vehicles

Tata Motors offers a full range 6×6, 8×8 and 12×12 multi-purpose high mobility carriers, designed especially for integrating specialist rocket and missile systems. Tata 2038 6×6 vehicle platform also stands qualified by the Indian Army for GRAD BM21 Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) application after rigorous field firing evaluation trials.

Mahindra Axe – Light utility vehicle to be purchased.

Small Arms

Excalibur assault rifle – Replacement for the INSAS rifle in service.

Multi Caliber Individual Weapon System (MCIWS)

Modern Sub Machine Carbine–RFI's worth ₹220 billion were issued for assault rifles, carbines, pump-action shotguns, sniper rifles, anti-material rifles, general purpose machine guns and heavy machine guns.

Army Aviation

Helicopter HAL Rudra

Transport  HAL Dhruv, HAL Chetak, HAL Cheetah and Cheetal

Now its time to tell you an interesting incident About how ist Army Chief became  Army Chief
A meeting was organized to select the first Commander in Chief of The Indian Army.The then-Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru said, “I think we should appoint a British officer as a general of Indian army as we don’t have enough experience to lead the same.” Everyone agreed with the suggestion when one of officers abruptly said, “I have a point, sir.”

Nehru said, “Yes, gentleman. You are free to speak.”

“You see, sir, we don’t have enough experience to lead a nation, too.So shouldn’t we appoint a British person as first PM of India?”

The meeting hall suddenly went quiet.Then, Nehru said, “Are you ready to be the first General of Indian Army?” He got a golden chance to accept the offer, but he refused the same and said, “Sir, we have a very talented army officer, my senior, Lt Gen Cariappa, who is the most deserving among us.”

The army officer who raised his voice against the PM was Lt. General Nathu Singh Rathore, A Lt General in the Indian Army. This anecdote is often told in variations as an example of courage and leadership.