The Indian Armed Forces and the Spectre of ‘The Colonial Legacy'

The Indian Express, in its edition dated 29 October, 2024 has published an article titled “Studying Chola naval campaigns, reducing Scottish pipe bands: Armed forces propose shedding colonial practices”. The article has outlined the measures that are being proposed to shed colonial-era practices from the Indian Armed Forces.

Reading through the article has sent shivers down my spine. Is this the priority for our top brass? Is this the purpose for which the post of CDS was created. Is this what every successive Chief in recent times wants to be remembered for?

The question that needs to be asked, and it is one that nobody is asking, is “How exactly does one define the colonial legacy”? And, as a corollary, “What then, is the Indian legacy” that we intend to adopt?

I admit that my knowledge of history in quite poor, so I would like to reach out to those who probably know better. Can they enlighten me about the concept of India (or Bharat, Hindustan or any other name that appeals to them) prior to the British and the Mughals? Did India exist as a homogeneous entity, with a clearly defined and universally accepted border? Was there a central government ruling the State? Was there a single currency, a single common law, uniformity of dress and eating habits, a united military under a single flag?

I may be entirely wrong, but I think that the one major legacy that the British Empire left behind was the creation of India as a single nation under one flag and under a central government. That they left a mess behind them is a different issue and can be discussed separately, but the one undeniable fact is that the India that we know and that the world recognises came into existence on 15 August 1947.

When did the Indian Army (as opposed to the host of State forces belonging to different Rajas, Maharajas, Sultans etc.) come into being? Without a doubt, we owe this to the British. It was the British Indian Army that organized, trained and equipped the Indian Army to become the formidable force that it is today. The ethos that we have inherited today is the ethos of a proud military, and not that of a ruler.

For a moment let us assume that the votaries of the “Throw out the Colonial Legacy from the Armed Forces” movement are right, and that the fighting capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces will improve dramatically if our troops go into battle in kurta-pyjamas and chain-mail armour. The obvious question then arises, which legacy do we adopt? That of the Marathas? Or the Peshwas? Why not that of Maharaja Ranjit Singh? The Cholas? The Mauryas?

Recently, the Indian Navy has gone into overdrive in taking the lead to discard the colonial legacies. Among many other measures, one that came particularly in the limelight was the introduction of the “national dress,” the kurta pyjama, as an official Mess dress. It is not quite clear as to why this particular dress has been given the status of a national dress. It certainly does not represent a majority of Indian States. Similarly, the sudden emergence of the Marathas as the predominant naval power and the adoption of its symbols by the Indian Navy could raise some eyebrows. Without a doubt, the Marathas were a naval power, but its navy was defensive, aimed at protecting its vast coastline. The Cholas, on the other hand, were not just a naval power, but a blue water navy of its days, having operated as far afield as Sumatra. So, is it military traditions of the past or political considerations of the present that will decide the ethos of India’s Armed Forces?

Let us examine some of the “colonial legacies” that, according to the Indian Express article, are proposed to be consigned to the dustbins of history.

The NDA prayer, and the iconic poem “If” that was displayed in every cadet’s room in NDA. (Maybe the latter has already been discarded because I did not spot it in the cabin that we stayed in during our recent Golden Jubilee celebration.) The only thing that is colonial about the prayer is that it is in the English language.

Which part of this prayer is colonial? Is it the word “God”? God is a universal word, not signifying any particular religion, and thus is the embodiment of everything that the Academy stands for. The words of the prayer are inspiring, truly worthy of a soldier, and most important, understood by every cadet, no matter which part of the country, and indeed which part of the world, he comes from. Is there anything at all that is “British Raj” in its content?

Now let us consider the poem “If”. The two things that can be considered to be colonial are the language in which it has been written, and the nationality of the poet, Rudyard Kipling. But what is it about? It certainly does not talk of imperialism or colonisation. It is a message from a father to his son. Here are a few comments from the website poemanalysis.com that clearly explain why the lessons contained in this poem are so important for building the moral fibre of a future officer of the Indian Armed Forces:

·         “Central Message: It's important to maintain integrity, resilience, and humility in the face of adversity”

·         “This is an introspective poem that imparts valuable life lessons and moral guidance. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining integrity, resilience, and humility in navigating the complexities of life.”

·         “Throughout the poem, the speaker gives the reader multiple scenarios, both positive and negative, along with a glimpse into how one should conduct oneself, including lessons in manhood, humility, willpower, composure, and living a virtuous life.”

·         “While reading the lines, readers become enlightened concerning how to tackle the odds of life. Not only that but also they start to realize what success means. It is not about winning a battle. Rather, it’s about how one fights in the war and stands courageously until the end.”

Someone in the past with a great deal of wisdom had selected this poem to inspire impressionable young cadets. It would be a shame to discard it now, at a time when its central theme and its message is more important than it ever was. It is indeed unfathomable how the seniormost officers in the Armed Forces, many of whom have themselves passed out from the NDA, can consider ditching both the prayer and the poem without a twinge of guilt.

Moving on, a lot of noise is being made of disbanding the pipe bands of Infantry battalions, because the bagpipe is a Scottish instrument. It needs no reiteration that there is no such organisation known as a “band platoon” in an Infantry battalion. There is a “medical platoon” comprising of battlefield nursing assistants (BFNAs), a vital component of the battalion in battle. The musical instruments are the regimental property of the battalion. Many units now have jazz bands too. These too are not based on any Indian culture, yet one does not hear a hue and cry about disbanding these.

Another hot topic in the decolonisation movement is the introduction of the study of ancient Indian military campaigns, both historical as well as mythological, as a part of military education and promotion examinations. There is no questioning the importance of history, but we need to ask ourselves what is the purpose of studying military history. For scholars and historians, the study of military history is akin to the study of any other kind of human history. It is purely academic, and is not really intended to take us back to those days. The study of military history by the military on the other hand, is designed to learn lessons that can help us in the way we fight future campaigns. What then is more relevant- recent battles and campaigns, or those fought in historic times? The Arab-Israel wars or the battle of Panipat? The Bangladesh campaign or the battle between Alexander and Porus?

There are many more military traditions and cultures that are in danger of being axed forever as malleable senior leadership continues to succumb to political and bureaucratic pressures. For them, a gentle reminder: the Armed Forces are not something that past generations have bequeathed to you as an inheritance. They are a precious asset that have been placed in your hands as a trust, to be nurtured, protected, strengthened and passed on to future generations. Do not betray that trust!