India’s 79-year defence journey has evolved from a newly independent, largely reactive military into a self-reliant force focused on proactive, multi-domain deterrence. From the 1947 Kashmir war and 1971 Bangladesh victory to Kargil, Galwan, surgical strikes and Operation Sindoor, India has strengthened military integration, technology, border infrastructure and strategic statecraft.
New Delhi: "At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom," declared India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, near midnight on August 14, 1947. The next morning, India woke up as a free nation after nearly two centuries of struggle against colonial rule.
79 years ago, at independence, Indian defence was defined by the complex transition from a colonial military to a national force, while foreign policy prioritised integrating princely states and peaceful diplomacy.
Partition divided military assets between India and Pakistan in an approximate 64:36 ratio, with India receiving roughly 70% of the army, 80% of the air force, and 60% of the navy.
Unlike Pakistan, India immediately established firm civilian control over its politically neutral armed forces under a democratic framework. Decision-making was structured around the Defence Committee of the Cabinet, supported by a civilian-staffed Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Headquarters.
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