167-714: Indian Peace Keeping Force ( IPKF ) was the Indian military contingent performing a peacekeeping operation in Sri Lanka between 1987 and 1990. It was formed under the mandate of the 1987 Indo-Sri Lankan Accord that aimed to end the Sri Lankan Civil War between Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups such as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Sri Lankan military . The main task of
334-538: A dining club they called The Honorable Society of Pushcannons , which was later renamed as the Priya Sangamaya . In 1931, he passed his advocates exams, starting his legal practice in the unofficial bar . On 28 February 1935, Jayewardene married the heiress Elina Bandara Rupasinghe , only daughter of Nancy Margaret Suriyabandara and Gilbert Leonard Rupasinghe, a notary public turned successful businessmen. Their only child Ravindra "Ravi" Vimal Jayewardene
501-505: A "March on Kandy" against it, but was stopped at Imbulgoda S. D. Bandaranayake . The U.N.P.'s official organ the Siyarata subsequently ran several anti-Tamil articles, including a poem, containing an exhortation to kill Tamils in almost every line. Throughout the 1960s Jayewardene clashed over this issue with party leader Dudley Senanayake . Jayewardene felt the UNP should be willing to play
668-587: A "comprehensive strategic partnership" with UAE. India has maritime security arrangements in place with Oman and Qatar. In 2008, a landmark defence pact was signed, under which India committed its military assets to protect "Qatar from external threats". On 9 June 2012, the JIMEX 2012 naval exercise took place off the coast of Tamil Nadu in India to Tokyo in Japan. This was the first ever bilateral maritime exercise between
835-565: A Treaty of Friendship in New Delhi. Article II of the treaty stipulates that "There shall be everlasting peace and unalterable friendship between the two States who shall ever strive to strengthen and develop further the cordial relations existing between the peoples of the two countries." India had signed a pact to develop ports in Myanmar and various bilateral issues, including economic co-operation, connectivity, security and energy. India has
1002-576: A counter-offensive into Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) in the event of any Chinese attack. The Army Aviation Corps is another vital part of the Indian Army formed on 1 November 1986. The army aviation pilots are drawn from other combat arms, including artillery officers, to form a composite third dimensional force for an integrated battle. IAF operates and flies attack Helicopters like the Mil Mi-25/Mi-35 which are owned and administered by
1169-516: A counterweight to increasing Chinese footprints in the region. Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and, particularly, Vietnam and Myanmar have time and again pressed India to help them both in terms of military training and weapons supply. Myanmar's Navy Chief, Vice Admiral Thura Thet Swe during his four-day visit to India in late July 2012 held wide-ranging consultations with top officials from the Indian Ministry of Defence. Apart from increasing
1336-582: A first, India has offered a $ 100-million credit line to Vietnam to purchase military equipment. A bilateral agreement for the use of facilities in India by the Singapore Air Force and Army was signed in October 2007 and August 2008 respectively and has been extended up to 2017. Singapore is the only country to which India is offering such facilities. The Indian Army is a voluntary service, the military draft having never been imposed in India. It
1503-460: A heavy hit because of the policies of the preceding administration), Jayewardene ensured that the island maintained healthy growth despite the civil war. William K. Steven of The New York Times observes, "President Jayawardene's economic policies were credited with transforming the economy from one of scarcity to one of abundance." On the ethnic question, Jayewardene's legacy is bitterly divisive. When he took office, ethnic tensions were present in
1670-605: A hospital in Colombo. He was survived by his wife, Elina , and his son, Ravi . On the economic front, Jayewardene's legacy is decisively a positive one. His economic policies are often credited with saving the Sri Lankan economy from ruin. For thirty years after independence, Sri Lanka had struggled in vain with slow growth and high unemployment. By opening up the country for extensive foreign investments, lifting price controls and promoting private enterprise (which had taken
1837-483: A landslide victory in the 1977 parliamentary elections and served as prime minister for half a year before becoming the country's first executive president under an amended constitution . A controversial figure in the history of Sri Lanka , while the open economic system he introduced in 1978 brought the country out of the economic turmoil Sri Lanka was facing as the result of the preceding closed economic policies, Jayawardene's actions, including his response to
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#17327903146392004-575: A massive military operation codenamed Operation Liberation to eliminate the LTTE leadership. Jayewardene had to halt the offensive after pressure from India pushed for a negotiated solution to the conflict after executing Operation Poomalai . Jayewardene and Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi finally concluded the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord , which provided for devolution of powers to Tamil dominated regions, an Indian peacekeeping force in
2171-484: A new government . Shortly thereafter, he amended the constitution of 1972 to make the presidency an executive post. The provisions of the amendment automatically made the incumbent prime minister—himself—president, and he was sworn in as president on 4 February 1978. He passed a new constitution on 31 August 1978 which came into operation on 7 September of the same year, which granted the president sweeping—and according to some critics, almost dictatorial—powers. He moved
2338-632: A number of independent brigades, and requisite combat support and service support formations and units. Among the fifteen, four are "strike" corps – Mathura ( I Corps ), Ambala ( II Corps ), Bhopal ( XXI Corps ) and Panagarh ( XVII Corps ). The main combat and combat support units are 68 armoured regiments, and over 350 infantry battalions and 300 artillery regiments (including two surface-to-surface missile (SSM) units). Among major armaments and equipment, there are 4,614 main battle tanks, more than 150,000 vehicles, 140 self-propelled artillery, 3,243 towed artillery, more than 700 rocket artillery(MLRS) in
2505-542: A peaceful, unarmed demonstration for union with India, the Indian government decided to invade and initiated Operation Vijay . A lopsided air, sea, and ground campaign resulted in the speedy surrender of Portuguese forces. Within 36 hours, 451 years of Portuguese colonial rule ended, and Goa was annexed by India. India fought four major wars with its neighbour Pakistan in 1947 , 1965 , 1971 and 1999 , and with China in 1962 and 1967 . Indian victory over Pakistan in
2672-649: A shoot-out with his rival Uma Maheswaran, in the middle of the city. Both of them were arrested and later released by the police. This activity was left unchecked as India's regional and domestic interests wanted to limit foreign intervention on what was deemed as an ethnic issue between the Tamils and the Sinhalese. To this end, the Indira Gandhi government sought to make it clear to Sri Lankan president Junius Richard Jayewardene that armed intervention in support of
2839-484: A solution to the conflict as well as limiting overt aid to the Tamil militants. The Sri Lankan government, deducing a decline in support for the Tamil rebels from India, began rearming itself extensively for its anti-insurgent role with support from Pakistan, Israel, Singapore, and South Africa. In 1986, the campaign against the insurgency was stepped up. In 1987, retaliating against an increasingly bloody insurgent movement,
3006-465: A substantial Tamil population in South India faced the prospect of a Tamil backlash at home, called on the Sri Lankan government to halt the offensive in an attempt to negotiate a political settlement. However, the Indian efforts were unheeded. Added to this, in the growing involvement of Pakistani advisers, it was necessary for Indian interest to mount a show of force. Failing to negotiate an end to
3173-657: A wealthy timber merchant. He was known as Dickie within his family. His younger brothers included Hector Wilfred Jayewardene , QC and Rolly Jayewardene , FRCP . His uncles were the Colonel Theodore Jayewardene , Justice Valentine Jayewardene and the Press Baron D. R. Wijewardena . Raised by an English nanny, he received his primary education at Bishop's College, Colombo . Jayewardene gained admission to Royal College, Colombo for his secondary education. There he excelled in sports, played for
3340-508: Is House Keeper and Cleaner, for which candidates only have to be 8th pass. At the rally, prospective soldiers are evaluated for height, weight, vision and hearing, and physical fitness. Fitness tests include a 1.6 km Run, Pull Ups, jumping a 9 Feet ditch, and doing a zig zag balance test. After recruitment rally, accepted candidates go to Basic Training. The Indian Armed Forces have set up numerous military academies across India for training personnel. Military schools, Sainik Schools , and
3507-410: Is divided administratively into seven tactical commands, each under the control of different Lieutenant Generals . The Indian Air Force is divided into five operational and two functional commands . Each command is headed by an air officer commanding-in-chief with the rank of air marshal . The Indian Navy operates three commands . Each command is headed by a flag officer commanding-in-chief with
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#17327903146393674-600: Is in the Mauryan Empire from the 4th century BC. Powerful militaries included those of the: Maurya , Satavahana , Chola , Vijayanagara , Mughal and Maratha empires . Emperor Chandragupta Maurya 's mentor and advisor Chanakya 's Arthashastra devotes a full chapter on the state department of waterways under navadhyaksha ( Sanskrit for Superintendent of ships) . The term, nava dvipantaragamanam (Sanskrit for "sailing to other lands by ships," i.e. exploration) appears in this book in addition to appearing in
3841-500: Is major foreign exchange earner with tourist resorts in almost all cities and an annual turnover of over 500,000 tourists are enjoying the tropical climes and beaches. In the general election of 1970 the UNP suffered a major defeat, when the SLFP and its newly formed coalition of leftist parties won almost 2/3 of the parliamentary seats. Once again elected to parliament J. R. Jayewardene took over as opposition leader and de facto leader of
4008-556: Is often called 'India's Vietnam' by international media, by way of comparison to American military involvement in the Vietnam War . Sri Lanka, from the early 1980s, was facing increasingly violent ethnic strife in the Sri Lankan Civil War . The origins of the Sri Lankan Civil War can be traced to the independence of Sri Lanka in 1948, after the end of British rule . At the time, a Sinhalese majority government
4175-647: Is one of the largest standing armies (and the largest standing volunteer army) in the world, with 1,237,000 active troops and 800,000 reserve troops. The force is headed by the Chief of Army Staff , General Manoj Pande . The highest rank in the Indian Army is Field Marshal , but it is a largely ceremonial rank and appointments are made by the President of India , on the advice of the Union Cabinet of Ministers, only in exceptional circumstances. Sam Manekshaw and
4342-611: Is ongoing, of which 64 will be inducted in the Army Aviation to replace the Cheetak and Cheetah Helicopters. HAL has obtained a firm order to deliver 114 HAL Light Combat Helicopters to the Indian Army. India is re-organising its mechanised forces to achieve strategic mobility and high-volume firepower for rapid thrusts into enemy territory. At present, the Indian army has severe deficiencies in its artillery (particularly self-propelled guns) and ammunition stocks, not to mention
4509-665: Is responsible for providing the entire pool of medical staff to the Armed Forces by giving them in-service training. Officer recruitment is through many military-related academies. Besides the tri-service National Defence Academy, Pune , the three services have their own training institutes for this purpose. These include: the Indian Military Academy , Dehradun , Indian Naval Academy , Ezhimala , Air Force Academy , Hyderabad , Officers Training Academy at Chennai and Gaya . Other notable institutions are
4676-634: Is the ministry charged with the responsibilities of countering insurgency and ensuring external security of India. General Upendra Dwivedi is the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi is the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) and Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Choudhari is the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS). The Indian armed forces are split into different groups based on their region of operation. The Indian Army
4843-657: Is the developing world's leading arms purchaser. It is investing ₹ 99.7 billion (US$ 1.2 billion) to build a dedicated and secure optical fibre cable (OFC) network for exclusive use of the Army, Navy and Air Force. This will be one of the world's largest closed user group (CUG) networks. During 2010, the Indian Armed Forces had a reported strength of 1.4 million active personnel and 2.1 million reserve personnel. In addition, there were approximately 1.3 million paramilitary personnel, making it one of
5010-474: The 1953 Hartal campaign, and had to be called off. Following the resignation of Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake after the 1953 Hartal, the new Prime Minister Sir John Kotelawala appointed Jayewardene as minister of agriculture and food and leader of the house . Prime Minister Sir John Kotelawala called for early elections in 1956 with confidence that the United National Party would win
5177-459: The 1991 Indian general election , by a LTTE suicide bomber named Dhanu . The IPKF intervention in Sri Lanka is raised at times in Indian political discourse whenever the situation in Sri Lanka shows signs of deterioration or, more broadly, when other foreign nations, ought to have a role in promoting peace on the island nation. India has never been directly involved in the peace talks between
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5344-812: The Army War College , at Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS), at Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir, the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School (CIJW), in Vairengte, Mizoram, and the College of Military Engineering (CME), in Pune. After being commissioned, officers are posted and deputed, and are at the helm of affairs not only inside India but also abroad. Officers are appointed and removed only by
5511-554: The Black July riots of 1983 , have been accused of contributing to the beginnings of the Sri Lankan Civil War . Born in Colombo to the prominent Jayewardene family with a strong association with the legal profession, Jayewardene was the eldest of twelve children, of Hon. Justice Eugene Wilfred Jayewardene KC , a prominent lawyer and Agnes Helen Don Philip Wijewardena daughter of Muhandiram Tudugalage Don Philip Wijewardena
5678-664: The Board of Control for Cricket in Ceylon. He played a major role in re-admitting Japan to the world community at the San Francisco Conference . Jayewardene struggled to balance the budget, faced with mounting government expenditures, particularly for rice subsidies. He was re-elected in 1952 parliamentary election and remained as finance minister. His 1953 proposal to cut the subsidies on which many poor people depended on for survival provoked fierce opposition and
5845-481: The Government of India . With strength of over 1.4 million active personnel, it is the world's second-largest military force and has the world's largest volunteer army. It also has the third-largest defence budget in the world. The Global Firepower Index report lists it as the fourth most-powerful military. The Indian Armed Forces have been engaged in a number of major military operations, including:
6012-874: The Indo-Pakistani wars of 1947 , 1965 and 1971 , the Portuguese-Indian War , the Sino-Indian War , the 1967 Cho La incident , the 1987 Sino-Indian skirmish , the Kargil War , and the Siachen conflict among others. India honours its armed forces and military personnel annually on Armed Forces Flag Day , 7 December. Armed with the nuclear triad , the Indian armed forces are steadily undergoing modernisation, with investments in areas such as futuristic soldier systems and missile defence systems . The Department of Defence Production of
6179-624: The Indus Valley civilisation period, near the present day port of Mangrol on the Gujarat coast. The Rig Veda written around 1500 BC, credits Varuna with knowledge of the ocean routes and describes naval expeditions. There is reference to the side wings of a vessel called Plava , which gives the ship stability in storm conditions. A compass, Matsya yantra was used for navigation in the fourth and fifth century AD. The earliest known reference to an organisation devoted to ships in ancient India
6346-490: The J.R. Jayewardene Centre was established by the J.R. Jayewardene Centre Act No. 77 of 1988 by Parliament at the childhood home of J. R. Jayewardene Dharmapala Mawatha, Colombo. It serves as archive for J.R. Jayewardene's personal library and papers as well as papers, records from the Presidential Secretariat and gifts he received in his tenure as president. *Appointed MPs were abolished in 1972 by
6513-706: The July 1960 parliamentary election to the a new coalition led by Bandaranayake's widow. Jayewardene remained in parliament in the opposition having been elected from the Colombo South electorate . The United National Party won the next election in 1965 and formed a national government with the Sri Lanka Freedom Socialist Party led by C. P. de Silva . Jayewardene was reelected from the Colombo South electorate uncontested and
6680-608: The K.M. Cariappa are the only two officers who have attained this rank. The army has combat experience in diverse terrains and also has a distinguished history of serving in United Nations peacekeeping operations. India contributes 6000 of its personnel to the UN peacekeeping efforts making it the second largest contributor. The Indian Army has seen military action during the First Kashmir War , Operation Polo ,
6847-607: The Kotmale , Victoria , Randenigala , Rantembe and Ulhitiya . Several Trans Basin Canals were also built to divert water to the Dry Zone. His administration launched several wildlife conservation initiatives. This included stopping commercial logging in rain forests such as Sinharaja Forest Reserve which was designated a World Biosphere Reserve in 1978 and a World Heritage Site in 1988. Jayewardene moved to crack down on
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7014-556: The Lion Capital of Asoka . On 1 April 1951, the remaining units of Imperial Service Troops of the former princely states were integrated with the regular Indian Army, though only a percentage of the former princely states forces were found capable enough to be retained in active service. While India had become a republic, British officers seconded from the British Armed Forces continued to hold senior positions in
7181-703: The Minister of Finance in the island's first Cabinet in 1947. Initiating post-independence reforms, he was instrumental in the establishment of the Central Bank of Ceylon under the guidance of the American economist John Exter . In 1951 Jayewardene was a member of the committee to select a National Anthem for Sri Lanka headed by Sir Edwin Wijeyeratne . The following year he was elected as the President of
7348-528: The Minister of State, External Affairs , K. Natwar Singh , of the ongoing operation and also indicated that the operation was expected not to be hindered by the Sri Lankan Air Force . The ultimate aim of the operation was both to demonstrate the seriousness of the domestic Tamil concern for the civilian Tamil population and reaffirming the Indian option of active intervention to the Sri Lankan government. Following Operation Poomalai , faced with
7515-656: The Ministry of Defence is responsible for the indigenous production of equipment used by the Indian Armed Forces. It comprises 16 Defence PSUs . India remains one of the largest importer of defence equipment with Russia, Israel, France and the United States being the top foreign suppliers of military equipment. The Government of India, as part of the Make in India initiative, seeks to indigenise manufacturing and reduce dependence on imports for defence. India has one of
7682-644: The President of India . Farkhor Air Base is a military air base located near the town of Farkhor in Tajikistan, 130 kilometres (81 mi) southeast of the capital Dushanbe. It is operated by the Indian Air Force in collaboration with the Tajikistan Air Force. Farkhor is India's first and only military base outside its territory. There was an unconfirmed report of India building some assets at Ayni Air Base in Tajikistan, although
7849-831: The Rashtriya Indian Military College were founded to broaden the recruitment base of the Defence Forces. The three branches of the Indian Armed Forces jointly operate several institutions such as: the National Defence Academy (NDA), the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), the National Defence College (NDC) and the College of Defence Management (CDM) for training its officers. The Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) at Pune
8016-679: The Sino-Indian War , the Second Kashmir War , the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 , the Sri Lankan Civil War and the Kargil War . The Indian Army has participated in several UN peacekeeping operations including those in: Cyprus, Lebanon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Cambodia, Vietnam, Namibia, El Salvador, Liberia, Mozambique and Somalia. The army also provided a paramedical unit to facilitate
8183-434: The South Asian subcontinent , and it has emerged as a regional power and "net security provider" in the Indo-Pacific region. The headquarters of the Indian Armed Forces is in New Delhi , the capital city of India. The President of India serves as the formal Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, while actual control lies with the executive headed by the Prime Minister of India . The Ministry of Defence (MoD)
8350-416: The Strategic Forces Command , the Andaman and Nicobar Command and the Integrated Defence Staff . The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces but the executive authority and responsibility for national security is vested in the Prime Minister of India and their chosen Cabinet Ministers . The Indian Armed Forces are under the management of the Ministry of Defence of
8517-412: The Tamils out, the Sinhala people will be happy" in reference to the widespread anti-Tamil sentiments among the Sinhalese at that time. Highly respected in Japan for his call for peace and reconciliation with post-war Japan at the Peace Conference in San Francisco in 1951, a statue of Jayewardene was erected at the Kamakura Temple in the Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan in his honor. In 1988,
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#17327903146398684-542: The Trincomalee district of complicity, although the Indian officials denied responsibility, they withdrew the Madras Regiment from Trincomalee district. From October 1987, the IPKF commenced war on the LTTE in order to disarm them. During this conflict, the IPKF raped thousands of Tamil women. One IPKF official excused these rapes by stating the following: "I agree that rape is a heinous crime. But my dear, all wars have them. There are psychological reasons for them such as battle fatigue." The Sri Lankan government had mooted
8851-414: The Vadamarachchi Operation (Operation Liberation) was launched against LTTE strongholds in Jaffna Peninsula. The operation involved nearly 10,000 troops, supported by helicopter gunships as well as ground-attack aircraft . In June 1987, the Sri Lankan Army laid siege on the town of Jaffna . This resulted in large-scale civilian casualties and created a condition of humanitarian crisis . India, which had
9018-427: The guerrilla war . By May 1985, the guerrillas were strong enough to launch an attack on Anuradhapura , attacking the Bodhi Tree shrine –a sacred site for Buddhist Sinhalese–followed by a rampage through the town. At least 150 civilians died in the hour-long attack. Rajiv Gandhi's government attempted to re-establish friendly relations with the various factions in Sri Lanka while maintaining diplomatic efforts to find
9185-437: The head prefect in 1925. In later life, he served as president, Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka ; President, Sinhalese Sports Club ; and Secretary, Royal College Union . Following the family tradition, Jayewardene entered the University College, Colombo in 1926 pursuing the Advocate's course, reading English, Latin, Logic and Economics for two years, after which he entered Ceylon Law College in 1928. He formed
9352-400: The political class in India is claimed to have hindered the effectiveness of the Indian military. Critics believe these issues hobble the progress and modernisation of the military. However, analysis by the Central Intelligence Agency indicates that India is projected to have the fourth most capable concentration of power by 2015. According to a report published by the US Congress , India
9519-440: The world's largest military forces . A total of 1,567,390 ex- servicemen are registered with the Indian Army, the majority of them hailing from: Uttar Pradesh (271,928), Punjab (191,702), Haryana (165,702), Maharashtra (143,951), Kerala (127,920), Tamil Nadu (103,156), Rajasthan (100,592) and Himachal Pradesh (78,321). Many of them are re-employed in various Central government sectors. The highest wartime gallantry award given by
9686-459: The 17th and 18th centuries, the Maratha and Kerala fleets were expanded, and became the most powerful Naval Forces in the subcontinent, defeating European navies at various times ( See the Battle of Colachel ). The fleet review of the Maratha navy, at which the ships Pal and Qalbat participated, took place at the Ratnagiri fort. The Maratha Kanhoji Angre , and Kunjali Marakkar , the Naval chief of Saamoothiri were two notable naval chiefs of
9853-430: The 1971 war, helped create the free country of Bangladesh . In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Pakistan began organising tourist expeditions to the Siachen Glacier , disputed territory with India. Irked by this development, in April 1984 India initiated the successful Operation Meghdoot during which it gained control over all of the 70-kilometre (41-mile)-long Siachen Glacier, and all of its tributary glaciers, as well as
10020-459: The 4,057 kilometres (2,521 mi) Line of Actual Control (LAC) from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh , the corps will have two high-altitude infantry divisions (59 Div at Panagarh and 72 Div at Pathankot) with their integral units, two independent infantry brigades, two armoured brigades and the like. It will include 30 new infantry battalions and two Para-Special Forces battalions. In other words, it will have "rapid reaction force" capability to launch
10187-441: The Army while holding short-service commissions. On 28 November 1992, the Indian Navy became the first armed force to commission women on short-service commissions in non-medical streams (Education, Logistics and Naval Law). The Air Force approved the induction of women officers for ground duties in 1992, with those officers receiving their commissions on 1 June 1993, and opened the flying (non-fighter) and technical branches to women
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#173279031463910354-426: The College Union based on that of the Oxford Union with assistance of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike who had recently returned to Ceylon. At the Ceylon Law College he won the Hector Jayewardene Gold Medal and the Walter Pereira Prize in 1929. During this time he worked as his father's Private Secretary , while latter served as a Puisne Justice of Supreme Court of Ceylon and in July 1929, he joined three others in forming
10521-628: The Fertilizer Subsidy Scheme were withdrawn. New welfare schemes, such as free school books and the Mahapola Scholarship Programme , were introduced. The rural credit programme expanded with the introduction of the New Comprehensive Rural Credit Scheme and several other medium and long-term credit schemes aimed at small farmers and the self-employed . He also launched large scale infrastructure development projects. He launched an extensive housing development program to meet housing shortages in urban and rural areas. The Accelerated Mahaweli Programme built new reservoirs and large hydropower projects such as
10688-440: The IPKF at its peak deployed four divisions and nearly 80,000 men with one mountain (4th) and three Infantry Divisions (36th, 54th , 57th) as well as supporting arms and services. At the peak of its operational deployment, IPKF operations also included a large Indian Paramilitary Force and Indian Special Forces elements. Indeed, Sri Lanka was first theatre of active operation for the Indian Navy Commandos . The main deployment of
10855-399: The IPKF casualties, as well as the deterioration of international relations has shaped India's foreign policy towards the Sri Lankan conflict. The decision to send the IPKF in Sri Lanka was taken by then Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi , who held office until 1989. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated at a rally at Sriperumbudur on 21 May 1991, while he was campaigning for re-election during
11022-401: The IPKF had suffered 1,165 personnel killed in action with 3,009 others wounded. The LTTE casualties are not known. The Indian intelligence agencies failed to consistently provide accurate information to Indian forces. One example is the Jaffna football ground massacre . The LTTE's disinformation machinery leaked fake information to the Indian army that the LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran
11189-448: The IPKF was in northern and eastern Sri Lanka. Upon its withdrawal from Sri Lanka the IPKF was renamed the 21st Corps and was headquartered near Bhopal and became a quick reaction force for the Indian Army. The first Indian Army troops to be deployed to Sri Lanka were a ten thousand strong force from the 54th Infantry Division commanded by Major General Harkirat Singh , which flew into Palali Airbase from 30 July onwards. This
11356-402: The IPKF was to disarm the different militant groups, not just the LTTE. It was to be quickly followed by the formation of an Interim Administrative Council. These were the tasks as per the terms of the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord, signed at the behest of Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi . Given the escalation of the conflict in Sri Lanka, and with the pouring of refugees into India, Rajiv Gandhi took
11523-432: The Indian Air Force, but under the operational control of the Army and play a major role to support the armoured columns and infantry. Apart from the attack role, helicopters like the HAL Chetak , HAL Cheetah , and HAL Dhruv provide logistical support for the Indian Army in remote and inaccessible areas, especially the Siachen Glacier. To equip Army Aviation Corps, procurement process for 197 light utility helicopters (LUH)
11690-416: The Indian Armed Forces into the early 1960s. On 1 April 1954, Air Marshal Subroto Mukherjee became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Air Force. Effective from 1 April 1955, a parliamentary act, the Commanders-In-Chiefs (Change in Designation) Act , re-designated the office of Commander-in-Chief as the Chief of Staff of each branch. Not until 1958 would the last British chief of staff that of
11857-456: The Indian Army acted with scant regard for civilian safety and violated human rights. This led to considerable outcry and public resentment within Sri Lanka as well as India, especially in Tamil Nadu , where the IPKF was viewed as an invading and oppressing force. Indian forces indulged in a number of civilian massacres, involuntary disappearances and rapes during their time in the Northeastern province of Sri Lanka . These include complicity in
12024-652: The Indian Army began the war in 1939 with just under 200,000 men. By the end of the war it had become the largest volunteer army in history, rising to over 2.5 million men by August 1945. Serving in divisions of infantry, armour and a fledgling airborne forces, they fought on three continents in Africa, Europe and Asia. The Indian Army fought in Ethiopia against the Italian Army, in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia against both
12191-434: The Indian Army, achieved distinction as the first Indian battalion and brigade commanders. On 1 May 1945, Cariappa became the first Indian officer to be promoted to brigadier. At the end of hostilities in 1945, the Indian Army's officer corps included Indian Medical Service officer Hiraji Cursetji as its sole Indian major-general, one IMS brigadier, three Indian brigadiers in combatant arms and 220 other Indian officers in
12358-529: The Indian Army. India has raised a new mountain strike corps to strengthen its defence along its disputed border with China in the high reaches of the Himalayas. However, the entire XVII Corps, with its headquarters at Panagarh in West Bengal , will only be fully raised with 90,274 troops at a cost of 646.7 Billion Indian Rupees by 2018–2019 (circa US$ 7.3 Billion at 2018 rates). With units spread across
12525-662: The Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Ashok Kantha, laid a wreath to honour the dead. The absence of a representative of the Sri Lankan government has been criticised by Indian ex-servicemen who had served in the conflict. Later in 2014, India constructed a war memorial at Bhopal to honour the IPKF. A renovated memorial for IPKF soldiers in Palaly, Jaffna, has been declared open in June 2015. The names of 33 who died in
12692-648: The Indian Navy constitute patrol missions, anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia , the 'Singapore Indian Maritime Bilateral Exercise' with the Republic of Singapore Navy in the Straits of Malacca , maintaining a military presence in Southeast Asias waters, and joint exercises with other countries, such as: Brasil, South Africa, the United States and Japan, France ( Varuna naval exercises ),
12859-620: The Indian Navy, be succeeded by an Indian. On 22 April of that year, Vice Admiral Ram Dass Katari became the first Indian Chief of Naval Staff. The Chiefs of Staff of the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy were upgraded to four-star rank on par with the Chief of Army Staff in 1966 and 1968, respectively. In 1961 tensions rose between India and Portugal over the Portuguese-occupied territory of Goa , which India claimed for itself. After Portuguese police cracked down violently on
13026-421: The Indian army. In February 1949, the Indian government repealed colonial-era legislation which mandated limits on the recruitment of certain ethnic groups into the armed forces. Upon India becoming a sovereign republic on 26 January 1950, some of the last vestiges of British rule – such as rank badges, imperial crowns, British ensigns and "Royal" monikers – were dropped and replaced with the Indian tricolour and
13193-662: The Indian military is detailed in a semi-official book called Customs and Etiquette in the Services , written by retired Major General Ravi Arora, which details how Indian personnel are expected to conduct themselves generally. Arora is an executive editor of the Indian Military Review . The major deployments of the Indian army constitute the border regions of India, particularly Jammu and Kashmir , Ladakh , and Northeast India , to engage in counter-insurgency and anti-terrorist operations. The major commitments of
13360-764: The Italian and German Army, and, after the Italian surrender, against the German Army in Italy. However, the bulk of the Indian Army was committed to fighting the Japanese Army, first during the British defeats in Malaya and the retreat from Burma to the Indian border; later, after resting and refitting for the victorious advance back into Burma, as part of the largest British Empire army ever formed. These campaigns cost
13527-723: The Japanese and discussed a rebellion to drive the British from the island. In 1944, Jayewardene moved a motion in the State Council that Sinhala alone should replace English as the official language. After joining the United National Party on its formation in 1946 as a founder member, he was reelected from the Kelaniya electorate in the 1st parliamentary election and was appointed by D. S. Senanayake as
13694-500: The LTTE and Sri Lanka but has supported Norway's efforts. As a result, relations between India and Sri Lanka became extremely sour. No defence pact has been signed between India and Sri Lanka even though India reaffirmed its strong defence cooperation with Sri Lanka. The IPKF role in the Sri Lankan conflict was criticised in both Sri Lanka and India. It perpetrated a number of human rights violations, including rapes and massacres of civilians. Several neutral organisations pointed out that
13861-561: The LTTE as a party to the talks. The signing of the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord on 29 July 1987 brought a temporary truce to the Sri Lankan Civil War . Under the terms of the agreement, Colombo agreed to a devolution of power to the provinces, the Sri Lankan troops were withdrawn to their barracks in the north, the Tamil rebels were to disarm. Amongst the provisions undersigned by the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord
14028-626: The LTTE-led insurgency. It soon escalated into repeated skirmishes between the IPKF and LTTE. Numerous civilian massacres and rapes were committed by the IPKF during the conflict. Numerous soldiers of IPKF were killed by LTTE. The IPKF began withdrawing from Sri Lanka in 1989, on the orders of the newly elected Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa and following the election of the V. P. Singh government in India. The last IPKF contingents left Sri Lanka in March 1990. India's battle in Sri Lanka
14195-740: The MK-II version of Arjun are night vision capabilities with a thermal imaging system for detecting all kinds of missiles, Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA), mine ploughs, the ability to fire anti-tank missiles with its 120 mm main gun, an Advanced Air Defence gun capable of shooting down helicopters with a 360-degree coverage, Automatic Target Tracking (ATT) lending a greater accuracy when it comes to moving targets and superior Laser Warning and Control systems. The Indian Army will upgrade its entire Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty-2 ( BMP-2 )/2K infantry combat vehicle (ICV) fleet to enhance their ability to address operational requirements. Upgrades include integration of
14362-873: The Military of India is the Param Vir Chakra (PVC), followed by the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) and the Vir Chakra (VrC). Their peacetime equivalents are Ashoka Chakra Award , Kirti Charka and Shaurya Chakra respectively. The highest decoration for meritorious service is the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) followed by Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM). Awards for distinguished services rendered in wartime and hostilities are Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (UYSM) and Yudh Seva Medal (YSM). As of December 2021,
14529-512: The Pakistani and Indian Navies, respectively, became the first Indian Royal Indian Navy officers to be promoted to acting captain. On 30 July, Brigadiers K.M. Cariappa, Muhammad Akbar Khan and Maharaj Shri Rajendrasinhji Jadeja were promoted major-generals , the first Indian general officers in a combat arm of the Indian Army. The period immediately following Indian independence was a traumatic time for India and her armed services. Along with
14696-608: The People's Republic of China, the Russian Navy ( INDRA naval exercises ), and others. Between April 2015 and March 2016, India allocated $ 40 billion to Defence Services, $ 10 billion to Defence (Civil Estimates) and another $ 10 billion to the Home Ministry for Paramilitary and CAPF forces – a total allocation for defence and security of about $ 60 billion for the financial year 2015–16. In 2016–17,
14863-702: The Royal Indian Marine. In 1932, the Indian Air Force was established as an auxiliary air force within RAF India ; two years later, the RIM was upgraded to the status of a naval service as the Royal Indian Navy (RIN). Though the gradual "Indianisation" of the officer corps began after WWI, at the outbreak of war in 1939, there were no Indian flag, general or air officers in the armed services. The highest-ranking Indian officers were those serving in
15030-506: The SLFP government, Jayewardene led the UNP to a crushing victory in the 1977 election . The UNP won a staggering five-sixths of the seats in parliament—a total that was magnified by the first-past-the-post system, and one of the most lopsided victories ever recorded for a democratic election. Having been elected to parliament from the Colombo West Electoral District , Jayewardene became Prime Minister and formed
15197-464: The Tajik government has denied this. However, India had deployed its Army and Border Roads Organisation personnel to upgrade Ayni airbase by extending its runway, constructing an air-traffic control tower and perimeter fencing around the base. India provided medium-lift choppers to Tajikistan and a dedicated hospital there as part of efforts to build on the strategic ties between the two countries against
15364-479: The Tamil insurrection in Sri Lanka because of the strong support for the Tamil cause within the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Emboldened by this support, supporters in Tamil Nadu provided a sanctuary for the separatists and helped the LTTE smuggle arms and ammunition into Sri Lanka, making them the strongest force on the island. In fact in 1982, the LTTE supremo Prabhakran was arrested by the police in Tamil Nadu, for
15531-572: The Tamil movement was an option India would consider if diplomatic solutions should fail. The first round of civil violence flared in 1983 when the killing of 13 soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army , sparked anti-Tamil pogroms —the Black July riots—in which approximately 3000 Tamils were killed. The riots only aided in the deterioration of the ethnic relations. Militant factions, including the LTTE, at this time recruited in large numbers and continued building on popular Tamil dissent and stepped up
15698-730: The Tamils greater autonomy within the federal structure. However, the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka , enacted in August 1983, classified all separatist movements as unconstitutional, Outside the TULF, Tamil factions advocating more militant courses of action soon emerged, and the ethnic divisions eventually led to violent civil war. Initially, under Indira Gandhi the Indian Government sympathized with
15865-451: The UNP due to the ill health of Dudley Senanayake. After Senanayake's death in 1973, Jayewardene succeeded him as UNP leader. He gave the SLFP government his fullest support during the 1971 JVP Insurrection (even though his son was arrested by the police without charges) and in 1972 when the new constitution was enacted proclaiming Ceylon a republic. However he opposed the government in many moves, which he saw as short sighted and damaging for
16032-502: The United States; first Sri Lankan President to do so, upon the invitation of then US President Ronald Reagan . Jayewardene left office and retired from politics in 1989 after the conclusion of his second term as president at the age of 82; after his successor Ranasinghe Premadasa was formally inaugurated on 2 January 1989. He did not re-enter politics during his retirement even after the assassination of Premadasa in 1993. Jayewardene died of colon cancer, on 1 November 1996, aged 90, at
16199-457: The Vedic text, Baudhayana Dharmashastra as the interpretation of the term, Samudrasamyanam . Sea lanes between India and neighbouring lands were used for trade for many centuries, and are responsible for the widespread influence of Indian Culture on other societies. The Cholas excelled in foreign trade and maritime activity, extending their influence overseas to China and Southeast Asia. During
16366-579: The armed forces of India were involved in a number of significant military operations, notably the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 and Operation Polo , the code name of a military operation in September 1948 where the Indian Armed Forces invaded the State of Hyderabad , annexing the state into the Indian Union. On 15 January 1949, General K. M. Cariappa was appointed the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of
16533-427: The backdrop of US-led troops pulling out from Afghanistan in 2014. India is also helping with the development of Chah Bahar Seaport in southeastern Iran , which is speculated to be done to secure India's Maritime assets and also as a gateway to Afghanistan & Central Asia. However, India and Israel also have a very strong defence relationship. In the 1950 Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship , India took on
16700-629: The besieged city of Jaffna . On 4 June 1987, in a bid to provide relief, the Indian Air Force mounted Operation Poomalai . Five Antonov An-32s under fighter cover flew over Jaffna to airdrop 25 tons of supplies, all the time keeping well within the range of Sri Lankan radar coverage. At the same time the Sri Lankan Ambassador to New Delhi, Bernard Tilakaratna , was summoned to the Foreign Office to be informed by
16867-423: The chagrin of India. Before Jayewardena's ascendency into the presidency, Sri Lanka had doors widely open to neighboring India. Jayewardena's tenure in the office restricted the doors to India a number of times; once an American company tender was granted over an Indian company tender. Jayewardene hosted Queen Elizabeth II in a visit to Sri Lanka in October 1981. In 1984, Jayewardene made an official State visit
17034-708: The college cricket team, debuting in the Royal-Thomian series in 1925; captained the rugby team in 1924 at the annual "Royal-Trinity Encounter" (which later became known as the Bradby Shield Encounter ); he was the vice captain of the football team in 1924; and was a member of the boxing team winning sports colours. He was a Senior Cadet ; Captain, Debating Team; Editor, College Magazine; first Secretary in Royal College Social Services League in 1921 and he became
17201-413: The contribution to the Home Ministry has been increased from $ 10 billion to $ 11.5 billion. Contemporary criticism of the Indian military have drawn attention to several issues, such as lack of political reform, obsolete equipment, lack of adequate ammunition, and inadequate research and development due to over-reliance on foreign imports. In addition, the lack of a 'strategic culture' among
17368-494: The country but were not overtly volatile. But relations between the two ethnicities heavily deteriorated during his administration and his response to these tensions and the signs of conflict has been heavily criticized. President Jayewardene saw these differences between the Sinhalese and Tamils as being ''an unbridgeable gap''. Jayewardene said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph, 11 July 1983, "Really, if I starve
17535-468: The country's economy in the long run. These included the adaptation of the closed economy and nationalization of many private business and lands. In 1976 he resigned from his seat in parliament in protest, when the government used its large majority in parliament to extend the duration of the government by two more years at the end of its six-year term without holding a general election or a referendum requesting public approval. Tapping into growing anger with
17702-473: The country. At these rallies, Army recruiters look at candidates from surrounding districts and examine their fitness for the Army. Candidates for Soldier, general duty must have Class 10 Leaving Certificate and in the range of 17 to 21 years. The Army also does online applications to appear at recruitment rallies. Requirements for technical roles, like nurses, artillery, Missile Defense have more stringent educational requirements. The least restrictive job in Army
17869-471: The crisis with Sri Lanka, India announced on 2 June 1987 that it wound send a convoy of unarmed ships to northern Sri Lanka to provide humanitarian assistance but this was intercepted by the Sri Lankan Navy and forced to turned back. Following the failure of the naval mission the decision was made by the Indian government to mount an airdrop of relief supplies in aid of the beleaguered civilians over
18036-486: The death of 17 LTTE prisoners, including two areas commanders in the custody of the Sri Lankan Army , which the LTTE blamed the IPKF for allowing to happen. Soon, these differences led to the LTTE attacking the Sinhalese, at which point the IPKF decided to disarm the LTTE militants, by force if required. In the two years it was in northern Sri Lanka, the IPKF launched a number of combat operations aimed at destroying
18203-492: The decisive step to push this accord through. The IPKF was inducted into Sri Lanka on the request of Sri Lankan President J. R. Jayewardene under the terms of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord. The force was initially not expected to be involved in any significant combat by the Indian High Command . However, within a few months, the IPKF became embroiled in battle with the LTTE to enforce peace. The war erupted following
18370-554: The election. The 1956 parliamentary election saw the United National Party suffering a crushing defeat at the hands of the socialist and nationalist coalition led by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party headed by S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike . Jayewardene himself lost his parliamentary seat in Kelaniya to R. G. Senanayake , who had contested both his own constituency Dambadeniya and Jayewardene's constituency of Kelaniya with
18537-517: The ethnic card, even if it meant losing the support of ethnic minorities. Jayewardene became the vice-president and chief organizer of the United National Party, which achieved a narrow win in the March 1960 parliamentary election , forming a government under Dudley Senanayake. Jayewardene having been elected to parliament once again from the Kelaniya electorate was appointed once again as minister of finance. The government lasted only three months and lost
18704-545: The face of increasing civil riots and violence within the southern Sinhalese majority areas, including the capital Colombo that were initiated by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party that necessitated the withdrawal of the Sri Lankan Army from the Tamil areas of northern Sri Lanka to maintain order. Originally a reinforced division with small naval and air elements,
18871-555: The first Indian C-in-C and Chief of the Air Staff) became the first Indian to command an air force squadron and attain the (albeit acting) rank of squadron leader . In July 1941, Indian Medical Service officer Hiraji Cursetji became one of the first Indian officers to be promoted to substantive general officer rank. During the war, several Indian Army officers, notably Kodandera M. Cariappa , S. M. Shrinagesh and Kodandera Subayya Thimayya , all of whom would subsequently command
19038-492: The first female medical officer to be granted a permanent naval commission. On 27 August 1976, Gertrude Alice Ram, the military nursing service Matron-in-Chief, became the first woman officer in the Indian Army to attain the rank of major-general , and the first female officer in the Indian Armed Forces to attain two-star rank . In January 1992, the Union government sanctioned the induction of women into non-combatant branches of
19205-562: The growing activity of Tamil militant groups active since the mid-1970s. He passed the Prevention of Terrorism Act in 1979, giving police sweeping powers to arrest and detain. This only escalated the ethnic tensions. Jayewardene claimed he needed overwhelming power to deal with the militants. After the 1977 riots , the government made one concession to the Tamils; it lifted the policy of standardization for university admission that had driven many Tamil youths into militancy. The concession
19372-486: The hospital, IPKF forces quickly entered the hospital premises and massacred over 70 civilians. These civilians included patients, two doctors, three nurses and a paediatric consultant who were all in uniform. The hospital never completely recovered after this massacre. The IPKF was also accused of complicity in murder of Sinhalese civilians. The then Sri Lankan government accused the Madras Regiment posted in
19539-497: The idea of a war memorial to those soldiers of the IPKF who lost their lives during the peacekeeping mission, in the early Nineties during President Premadasa 's rule. The memorial was finally constructed in Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte [2] on the outskirts of Colombo in 2008. The names of the 1200 soldiers who died are inscribed on black marble. The first official memorial service was held on 15 August 2010 when
19706-535: The inability of some of its modern tanks to operate in the heat and dust of the desert regions around the international border. India proposes to progressively induct as many as 248 Arjun MBT and to develop and induct the Arjun MK-II variant, 1,657 Russian-origin T-90 S main-battle tanks, apart from the ongoing upgrade of its T-72 fleet. Arjun MK-II trials had already begun in August 2013. The improved features of
19873-614: The incidents such as Valvettithurai massacre in which on 2, 3, and 4 August 1989 over 50 Tamils were massacred by the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Valvettithurai , Jaffna. In addition to the killings over 100 homes, shops and other property were also burnt and destroyed. Another notable incident was the Jaffna teaching hospital massacre on 22 October 1987. Following a confrontation with Tamil militants near
20040-929: The latest generation fire control system, twin missile launchers and commander's thermal imaging panoramic sights, anti- tank guided missiles, as well as automatic grenade launchers. Under the Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan, the army plans to procure 3000 to 4000 pieces of artillery at a cost of US$ 3 billion. This includes purchasing 1580 towed, 814 mounted, 180 self-propelled wheeled, 100 self-propelled tracked and 145 ultra-light 155 mm/52 calibre artillery guns. After three years of searching and negotiations, India ordered M777 155 mm howitzers from USA in September 2013. Junius Richard Jayewardene Junius Richard Jayewardene ( Sinhala : ජුනියස් රිචඩ් ජයවර්ධන ; Tamil : ஜூனியஸ் ரிச்சட் ஜயவர்தனா ; 17 September 1906 – 1 November 1996), commonly abbreviated in Sri Lanka as J.R. ,
20207-428: The legislative capital from Colombo to Sri Jayawardanapura Kotte . He had likely SLFP presidential nominee Sirimavo Bandaranaike stripped of her civic rights and barred from running for office for six years, based her decision in 1976 to extend the term of parliament. This ensured that the SLFP would be unable to field a strong candidate against him in the 1982 election , leaving his path to victory clear. This election
20374-583: The lives of over 36,000 Indian servicemen, while another 34,354 were wounded; 67,340 became prisoners of war. Their valour was recognised with the award of some 4,000 decorations, and 38 members of the Indian Army were awarded the Victoria Cross or the George Cross . The demands of war and increasing recognition that the era of British dominance in the subcontinent was ending increased the pace of "Indianisation." In 1940, Subroto Mukherjee (later
20541-467: The longest military histories, dating back several millennia. The first reference to armies is found in the Vedas as well as the epics Ramayana and Mahabaratha . Classical Indian texts on archery in particular, and martial arts in general are known as Dhanurveda . Indian maritime history dates back 5,000 years. The first tidal dock is believed to have been built at Lothal around 2300 BC during
20708-594: The main opposition party, the Tamil United Liberation Front . There was a complete turnaround in economic policy under him as the previous policies had led to economic stagnation. He opened the heavily state-controlled economy to market forces, which many credit with subsequent economic growth. He opened up the economy and introduced more liberal economic policies emphasizing private sector led development. Policies were changed to create an environment conducive to foreign and local investment, with
20875-614: The mission in consultation with the Sri Lankan government. In what was labelled as Operation Pawan , the Indian Air Force flew about 70,000 sorties to and within Sri Lanka. The beginning of the 21st century saw a reorientation for India on the global stage from a regional role in the subcontinent to a major role in the Indian Ocean stretching from the Gulf of Aden to the Malacca Strait . India's sphere of influence has surpassed
21042-487: The national dress as his formal attire. Jayewardene did not practice law for long. In 1943 he gave up his full time legal practice to become an activist in the Ceylon National Congress (CNC), which provided the organizational platform for Ceylon's nationalist movement (the island was officially renamed Sri Lanka in 1972). He became its Joint Secretary with Dudley Senanayake in 1939 and in 1940 he
21209-419: The new Indian Army as advisers or in posts requiring certain technical abilities. With effect from April 1948, the former Viceroy's Commissioned Officers (VCO) were re-designated Junior Commissioned Officers (JCO), the distinction between King's Commissioned Indian Officers (KCIO) and Indian Commissioned Officers (ICO) was abolished and Indian Other Ranks were re-designated as "other ranks." During this period,
21376-473: The newly independent India, the Indian Armed Forces were forcibly divided between India and Pakistan, with ships, divisions and aircraft allocated to the respective Dominions. Following partition, on 15 August 1947, the Indian Armed Forces comprised: By the end of 1947, there were a total of 13 Indian major-generals and 30 Indian brigadiers, with all three army commands being led by Indian officers by October 1948, at which time only 260 British officers remained in
21543-439: The non-combatant Indian Medical Service , who held no rank higher than colonel; in the regular Indian Army, there were no Indian officers above the rank of major. The Royal Indian Navy had no Indian senior line officers and only a single Indian senior engineer officer, while the Indian Air Force had no Indian senior officers in 1939, with the highest-ranking Indian air force officer a flight lieutenant . In World War II ,
21710-409: The north, and the demobilization of the LTTE. The LTTE rejected the accord, as it fell short of even an autonomous state. The provincial councils suggested by India did not have powers to control revenue, policing, or government-sponsored Sinhala settlements in Tamil provinces. Sinhala nationalists were outraged by both the devolution and the presence of foreign troops on Sri Lankan soil. An attempt
21877-697: The number of training slots of Myanmar officers in Indian military training establishments, India has agreed to build at least four Offshore Patrol Vehicles (OPV) in Indian Shipyards to be used by Myanmar's navy. For more than a decade now, India has assisted Vietnam in beefing up its naval and air capabilities. For instance, India has repaired and upgraded more than 100 MiG 21 planes of the Vietnam People's Air Force and supplied them with enhanced avionics and radar systems. Indian Air Force pilots have also been training their Vietnamese counterparts. In
22044-482: The objective of defeating the latter after he had forced Senanayake out of the party. Having lost his seat in parliament, Jayewardene pushed the party to accommodate nationalism and endorse the Sinhala Only Act , which was bitterly opposed by the island's minorities. When Bandaranaike came to an agreement with S.J.V. Chelvanayagam in 1957, to solve the outstanding problems of the minorities, Jayawardene led
22211-498: The objective of promoting export led growth shifting from previous policies of import substitution. To facilitate export oriented enterprises and to administer Export Processing Zones the Greater Colombo Economic Commission was established. Food subsidies were curtailed and targeted through a Food Stamps Scheme extended to the poor. The system of rice rationing was abolished. The Floor Price Scheme and
22378-501: The obligation to actively assist Nepal in national defence and military preparedness, and both nations agreed not to tolerate threats to each other's security. In 1958, the then- Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited Bhutan and reiterated India's support for Bhutan's independence and later declared in the Indian Parliament that any aggression against Bhutan would be seen as aggression against India. India started
22545-743: The operations in the Northern Province during 1987–1990 have been inscribed on a wall at the memorial site. Indian Armed Forces The Indian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of India . It consists of three professional uniformed services: the Indian Army , Indian Navy , and Indian Air Force . Additionally, the Indian Armed Forces are supported by the Central Armed Police Forces , Indian Coast Guard and Special Frontier Force and various inter-service commands and institutions such as
22712-411: The past, ignored by investors who were inhibited by the lack of incentive to invest in projects which were uncertain of a satisfactory return. Jayewardene considered it essential for the government to give that assurance and with this objective in view he tabled the Ceylon Tourist Board Act No 10 of 1966 followed by Ceylon Hotels Corporation Act No 14 of 1966 . At present the tourism industry in Sri Lanka
22879-503: The percentages of women serving across all ranks in the Army, Navy and Air Force are 0.59%, 6.0% and 1.08%, respectively. Women may serve at any rank in the Army and Air Force but may only serve in the Navy as commissioned officers. During the British Raj , the Temporary Indian Nursing Service was established in 1914 to meet the nursing needs of Indian soldiers serving in the First World War, with female Indian nurses serving as military auxiliaries. The Indian Military Nursing Service (MNS)
23046-517: The period. The Royal Indian Navy was first established by the British while much of India was under the control of the East India Company . In 1892, it became a maritime component as the Royal Indian Marine (RIM). During World War I the Indian Army contributed a number of divisions and independent brigades to the European, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern theatres of war. One million Indian troops served overseas; 62,000 died and another 67,000 were wounded. In total, 74,187 Indian soldiers died during
23213-416: The possibility of an active Indian intervention and lacking any possible ally, the President, J. R. Jayewardene , offered to hold talks with the Rajiv Gandhi government on future moves. The siege of Jaffna was soon lifted, followed by a round of negotiations that led to the signing of the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord on 29 July 1987 that brought a temporary truce. Crucially however, the negotiations did not include
23380-454: The process to bring the island country Maldives into India's security grid. India is also one of three countries with whom Japan has a security pact, the others being Australia and the United States. India and Russia maintain strong military co-operation. India has defence pacts with the US focusing on areas including security, joint training, joint development and manufacture of defence equipment and technology. In 1951, India and Burma signed
23547-425: The rank of lieutenant-general , becoming the first woman in the armed forces to reach three-star rank . In September 2008, women became eligible for permanent commissions in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) and Education Corps in all three services, along with the Naval Constructor branch of the Navy and in the Accounts branch of the Air Force. This made them eligible to be promoted by selection in those streams (to
23714-448: The rank of vice admiral . There are two joint commands whose head can belong to any of the three services. These are the Strategic Forces Command and the Andaman and Nicobar Command . The lack of an overall military commander has helped keep the Indian Armed Forces under civilian control and has prevented the rise of military dictatorships unlike in neighboring Pakistan . The Armed Forces have four main tasks: The code of conduct of
23881-500: The ranks of colonel , captain and group captain , and to the flag ranks), as short-service commissions are relinquished after 14 years of service. In November 2011, women Air Force officers further became eligible for permanent commissions in the Technical, Administration, Logistics and Meteorology Branches. The vast majority of soldiers in Indian Army are enlisted personnel, called by the Army as Soldier, general duty. These soldiers are recruited at different recruitment rallies across
24048-417: The rebellion, which had an impact across India. Indianization of the armed forces nevertheless continued to progress. On 15 May 1947, Subroto Mukherjee became the first Indian air officer with the acting rank of air commodore , in the appointment of Deputy Assistant to the Air Officer Commanding (Administration). On 21 July, H.M.S. Choudhry and Bhaskar Sadashiv Soman , both of whom would eventually command
24215-471: The same year, commissioning its first seven female pilots on 17 December 1994. Until December 1996, women short-service commission officers in the Armed Forces were limited to five years in service, excepting the technical branch of the air force, in which female officers could only serve for three years. In August 1998, the Navy opened all of its branches to women. Punita Arora was appointed Commandant, Armed Forces Medical College on 1 September 2004 in
24382-594: The strike formations attack at a point of India's choosing. The Indian Army is large enough to devote several corps to the strike role. The army is also looking at enhancing its special forces capabilities. With the role of India increasing, and the need to protect India's interests on far-off shores becoming important, the Indian Army and Indian Navy are jointly planning to set up a marine brigade. The Army's field force comprises fifteen corps, three armoured divisions, four Reorganised Army Plains Infantry Divisions (RAPID), eighteen infantry divisions and ten mountain divisions,
24549-472: The subject came under the purview of J. R. Jayewardene. Jayewardene saw tourism as a great industry capable of earning foreign exchange, providing avenues of mass employment, and creating a workforce which commanded high employment potential globally. He was determined to place this industry on a solid foundation, providing it a 'conceptional base and institutional support.' This was necessary to bring dynamism and cohesiveness into an industry, shunned by leaders in
24716-399: The tanks moving on the ground were ensnared by anti-tank mines placed by the LTTE militants. This resulted in heavy losses for the Indian side. According to later accounts, the LTTE leader, Prabhakaran was not in the area at the time of the operation. The IPKF complained that accurate maps of the operational theaters were not made available to them by the various intelligence agencies. There
24883-467: The temporary or acting ranks of colonel and lieutenant-colonel. From October 1945, the granting of regular commissions in the Indian Armed Forces was restricted to Indians, though provisions were made for the continued secondment of British officers for as long as was deemed necessary. In 1946, sailors of the Royal Indian Navy mutinied on board ships and in shore establishments. A total of 78 ships, 20 shore establishments and 20,000 sailors were involved in
25050-412: The three main passes of the Saltoro Ridge immediately west of the glacier— Sia La , Bilafond La , and Gyong La . According to TIME magazine , India gained more than 1,000 square miles (3,000 km ) of territory as a result of its military operations in Siachen. In 1987 and in 1989 Pakistan attempted to re-take the glacier but was unsuccessful. The conflict ended with Indian Victory. Since 2003,
25217-445: The two nations in a long time, reflecting their similar interests, especially those involving spontaneous regional security against common external aggressors. The Indian Navy has berthing rights in Oman and Vietnam. As part of its two-decade-old Look East policy , India has substantially stepped up military engagement with East Asian and ASEAN nations. Although never explicitly stated, ASEAN and East Asian nations want New Delhi to be
25384-448: The two sides have maintained a ceasefire and with " cold peace ". The Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) carried out a mission in northern and eastern Sri Lanka in 1987–1990 to disarm the Tamil Tigers under the terms of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord . It was a difficult battle for the Indian Army, which was not trained for an unconventional war. After losing approximately 1,200 personnel and several T-72 tanks, India ultimately abandoned
25551-399: The war. It fought against the German Empire in German East Africa and on the Western Front . Indian divisions were also sent to Egypt, Gallipoli and nearly 700,000 served in Mesopotamia against the Ottoman Empire . Following WWI, the Indian Armed Forces underwent significant transformation. In 1928, Engineer Sub-lieutenant D. N. Mukherji became the first Indian to receive a commission in
25718-420: The withdrawal of the sick and wounded in the Korean War . The current combat doctrine of the Indian Army is based on effectively utilising holding formations and strike formations. In the case of an attack, the holding formations would contain the enemy, and strike formations would counter-attack to neutralise enemy forces. In the case of an Indian attack, the holding formations would pin enemy forces down while
25885-399: Was a Sri Lankan lawyer, public official and statesman who served as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka from 1977 to 1978 and as the second President of Sri Lanka from 1978 to 1989. He was a leader of the nationalist movement in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) who served in a variety of cabinet positions in the decades following independence . A longtime member of the United National Party , he led it to
26052-449: Was also a case where an agent of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) was killed in an ambush set up by the IPKF. He had been acting on orders to carry out back channel diplomacy and peace talks with the LTTE . The IPKF mission while having gained tactical successes, did not succeed in its intended goals. The primary impact of the IPKF, has been that it shaped India's counterinsurgency techniques and military doctrine. The political fallout,
26219-419: Was appointed Chief Government Whip . Senanayake appointed Jayewardene to his cabinet as Minister of State and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Defence and External Affairs thereby becoming the de facto deputy prime minister . No government had given serious thought to the development of the tourism industry as an economically viable venture until the United National Party came to power in 1965 and
26386-431: Was born the year after. Having originally settled at Jayewardene's parents house, Vaijantha , the Jayewardenes moved to their own house Braemar in 1938, where they remained the rest of their lives, when not holidaying at their holiday home in Mirissa . Jayewardene was attracted to national politics in his student years and developed strong nationalist views. He converted from Anglicanism to Buddhism and adopted
26553-439: Was elected to the Colombo Municipal Council from the New Bazaar Ward. He was elected to the colonial legislature, the State Council in 1943 by winning the Kelaniya by-election following the resignation of incumbent D. B. Jayatilaka . His victory is credited to his use of an anti-Christian campaign against his opponent the nationalist E. W. Perera . During World War II , Jayewardene, along with other nationalists, contacted
26720-531: Was followed later by the 36th Infantry Division. By 1987, the IPKF consisted of: Soon after its intervention in Sri Lanka and especially after the confrontation with the LTTE, the IPKF received a substantial commitment from the Indian Air Force , mainly transport and helicopter squadrons under the command of Gp.Capt. M.P Premi, including: The Indian Navy regularly rotated naval vessels through Sri Lanka waters, mostly smaller vessels such as patrol boats. In December 1999, Defence Minister George Fernandes disclosed
26887-458: Was formed on 1 October 1926, with its officers integrated into the armed forces on 15 September 1943 and given the status of commissioned officers. Following Independence, apart from those serving in the MNS, women remained ineligible for regular commissions in the armed forces until 1 November 1958, when the restriction on granting permanent commissions to women was removed for those joining the Army Medical Corps . In 1961, Dr. Barbara Ghosh became
27054-424: Was held under the 3rd amendment to the constitution which empowered the president to hold a Presidential Election anytime after the expiration of four years of his first term. He held a referendum to cancel the 1983 parliamentary elections, and allow the 1977 parliament to continue until 1989. He also passed a constitutional amendment barring from Parliament any MP who supported separatism ; this effectively eliminated
27221-453: Was hiding in a building near the Jaffna university football ground. A major operational plan was chalked out by the Indian generals to capture him alive. The plan involved airdropping commandos on the ground, while tank formations would move to surround the area, to prevent anyone from the stadium and its surrounding buildings to escape. However, when the plan was executed, the Indian troops came under heavy attack from hidden LTTE sharpshooters.
27388-454: Was instituted. This government, which included the Tamil Congress, passed legislation deemed discriminatory by some against the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka. In the 1970s, two major Tamil parties , the Tamil Congress and a split, the Federal Party united to form the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), a separatist Tamil nationalist group that agitated for a separate state of Tamil Eelam in north and eastern Sri Lanka that would grant
27555-415: Was made on Jayewardene's life in 1987 as a result of his signing of the accord. Young, deprived Sinhalese soon rose in a revolt , organized by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) which was eventually put down by the government by 1989. In contrast with his predecessor, Sirimavo Bandaranaike , Jayewardena's foreign policy was aligned with American policies (earning him the nickname 'Yankie Dickie') much to
27722-501: Was regarded by the militants as too little and too late, and violent attacks continued, culminating in the ambush of Four Four Bravo which led to the Black July riots . Black July riots transformed the militancy into a civil war, with the swelling of ranks of the militant groups. By 1987, the LTTE had emerged as the dominant of the Tamil militant groups and had a free hand over the Jaffna Peninsula , limiting government activities in that region. Jayewardene's administration responded with
27889-543: Was the commitment of Indian military assistance should this be requested for by the Sri Lankan Government, as well as the provision of an Indian Peace Keeping Force that would "guarantee and enforce the cessation of hostilities". It was on these grounds, and on the request of President J. R. Jayewardene , that Indian troops were inducted to Northern Sri Lanka. J N Dixit , the then Indian ambassador to Colombo, in an interview to rediff.com in 2000 described that ostensibly, Jayawardene's decision to request Indian assistance came in
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