4 min readNew DelhiSep 29, 2024 08:06 PM IST
First published on: Sep 29, 2024 at 01:19 PM IST
To do away with colonial vestiges in the Indian military and its traditions, the Armed Forces are considering several changes.
These include officers studying Indian strategists in their career courses instead of Western experts, reducing the number of Scottish-origin pipe bands in the Army, and giving a more pan-India character to certain arms of the Army.
Drafting a tri-service Act instead of three individual service Acts is also being considered.
We explain what aspects the Armed Forces are looking at, and why.
What changes are being considered?
As part of efforts to inculcate an indigenous strategic thought in young military minds, texts written by ancient Indian strategists are being increasingly included in career courses instead of literature written by western military thinkers and writers.
For instance, the Secunderabad-based College of Defence Management (CDM) is drafting a syllabus in consultation with the Indic Studies department of Gujarat university, which will be made a mandatory part of mid-career courses to be attended by officers of the three services.
It could include land campaign studies of Indian forces like the INA, Marathas and Sikhs; maritime strategies of rulers like Raja Raja Chola I and his son Rajendra Chola, King Marthand Varma, Kunjali Marakkar IV, among others; and the governance model of ancient Indian emperor Chandragupta Maurya.
The Armed Forces are in the process of identifying obsolete laws and rules that can be weeded out.
Also, at present, the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force have a different service Act governing each. Work is on to bring in a consolidated tri-services Act, which will reduce redundancies and promote smoother operations.
The Army is discussing whether Scottish-origin pipe bands can be reduced to one at each regional command headquarters—from one in almost every unit—and be kept for purely ceremonial purposes.
There may also be a study to assess if the Army’s infantry regiments can be given a more pan-India character, like the artillery and armoured divisions, instead of the current system of a Jat regiment, Bihar regiment, etc.
What changes have already been made by the Armed Forces?
Several colonial-era military customs and practices have been done away with in the last few years, by changing several Army unit crests, the naval ensign, and giving out Indian names to military platforms and weapon systems.
Most joint exercises with other nations as well as operations and seminar halls in military complexes are being given Indian names.
More Indian tunes and instruments have been used in the Republic Day and the Beating Retreat ceremonies in the last few years. The Christian hymn Abide With Me was replaced by the patriotic Hindi song Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon after the Beating Retreat ceremony of 2022.
Earlier this year, the Indian Navy permitted wearing the traditional kurta-pyjama attire into its naval messes.
Professional military education institutes are conducting regular seminars by Indology authorities to propagate indigenous ethics, law and warcraft concepts.
Why the changes?
The idea is to “Indianise” the Indian military further, doing away with colonial influences.
This process has been on since India gained freedom from British rule in 1947, but there was an upswing in the efforts after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while speaking at the Combined Commanders Conference in Gujarat’s Kevadia in 2021, talked about increasing indigenisation in the national security system, including in the doctrines, procedures and customs of the Armed Forces.
Beating Retreat rehearsal at the Vijay Chowk in New Delhi in June. More Indian tunes and instruments have been used in the Republic Day and the Beating Retreat ceremonies in the last few years. (Express Photo: Amit Mehra) 
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