Indian Armed Forces
| Indian Armed Forces | |
|---|---|
| भारतीय सशस्त्र बल | |
Flag of Indian Armed Forces | |
| Service branches | Indian Army Indian Navy Indian Air Force |
| Headquarters | Ministry of Defence, South Block, New Delhi |
| Leadership | |
| Supreme Commander | President Droupadi Murmu |
| Prime Minister | Narendra Modi |
| Minister of Defence | Rajnath Singh |
| Chief of Defence Staff | General Anil Chauhan |
| Defence Secretary | Rajesh Kumar Singh, IAS |
| Personnel | |
| Military age | 18[1] |
| Conscription | No |
| Reaching military age annually | 23,116,044[2] |
| Active personnel | 1,431,000[3] (ranked 2nd) |
| Reserve personnel | 1,000,000[3] |
| Expenditure | |
| Budget | ₹6.81 trillion (US$89 billion) (2025/26)[4] (ranked 4th) |
| Percent of GDP | 1.9% (2025/26)[4] |
| Industry | |
| Domestic suppliers | List
Munitions India Limited (MIL) Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL) Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (AWEIL) Troop Comforts Limited (TCL) Yantra India Limited (YIL) India Optel Limited (IOL) Gliders India Limited (GIL) Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL) Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Mishra Dhatu Nigam (MDN)[5] |
| Foreign suppliers | Russia[6] France[6] Israel[6] United States[7] Historical: |
| Annual imports | US$41,208,000,000 (2010–2021)[10] |
| Annual exports | US$448,000,000 (2010–2021)[10] |
| Related articles | |
| History | Military history of India Presidency armies British Indian Army Royal Indian Navy Royal Indian Air Force Indian National Army Wars involving India |
| Ranks | Army Navy Air Force |
The Indian Armed Forces are the military of India. It is made up of an Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard. There are other parts like Central Armed Police Forces and Strategic Nuclear Command.
The President of India is its Commander-in-Chief. However, it is managed by the Ministry of Defence.
In 2025, the Indian Armed Forces had 1.32 million active personnel. This makes it 4th largest militaries in the world.[11]
Currently, the Indian Armed force is becoming more modern by buying and making new weapons. It is also building defences against missiles of other countries.[12] In 2011, India imported more weapons than any other nation in the world.[13]
From its independence in 1947, India fought four wars with Pakistan and one war with China.
Every year, 7 December is celebrated as Armed Forces Flag Day.
References
- ↑ "Categories of Entry". Indian Army. Archived from the original on 23 August 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- ↑ "Manpower Reaching Military Age Annually (2020)". Global Fire Power (GFP). Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 IISS 2021, p. 259
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "India's Defense Budget 2025-26: Strengthening Strategic Autonomy and Advancing Self-Reliance in Military Capabilities". Mid Day. 4 February 2025. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
- ↑ "Ministry of Defence, Govt of India". mod.nic.in. Archived from the original on 4 July 2012.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "India / Aircraft / Jianjiji / Fighter". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Archived from the original on 19 January 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
- ↑ "U.S. Security Cooperation With India". Department of State. 20 January 2021.
- ↑ Chari, P. R. "Indo-Soviet Military Cooperation: A Review." Asian Survey, vol. 19, no. 3, 1979, pp. 230–44. JSTOR, doi:10.2307/2643691. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
- ↑ Singh, S. Nihal. "Why India Goes to Moscow for Arms." Asian Survey, vol. 24, no. 7, 1984, pp. 707–20. JSTOR, doi:10.2307/2644184. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "TIV of arms imports/exports data for India, 2010-2021". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. 7 February 2022.
- ↑ IISS 2010, pp. 358
- ↑ Rabinowitz, Gavin; Press, Associated (18 June 2008). "India's army seeks military space program". SFGate.
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-01-19. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
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