Indian Armed Forces

Indian Armed Forces
भारतीय सशस्त्र बल
Flag of Indian Armed Forces
Service branches Indian Army
 Indian Navy
 Indian Air Force
HeadquartersMinistry of Defense, South Block, New Delhi
Leadership
Supreme CommanderIndia President Droupadi Murmu
Prime MinisterIndia Narendra Modi
Minister of Defence Rajnath Singh
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, IAS
Personnel
Military age18
ConscriptionNo
Reaching military
age annually		23,116,044
Active personnel1,431,000 (ranked 2nd)
Reserve personnel1,000,000
Expenditure
Budget₹6.81 trillion (US$89 billion) (2025/26)
(ranked 4th)
Percent of GDP1.9% (2025/26)
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)
Foreign suppliers Russia
 France
 Israel
 United States
Historical:
Annual importsUS$41,208,000,000 (2010–2021)
Annual exportsUS$448,000,000 (2010–2021)
Related articles
HistoryMilitary history of India
Presidency armies
British Indian Army
Royal Indian Navy
Royal Indian Air Force
Indian National Army
Wars involving India
RanksArmy
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 Defense.

In 2025, the Indian Armed Forces had 1.32 million active personnel. This makes it the 4th largest military in the world. Currently, the Indian Armed force is becoming more modern by buying and making new weapons. It is also building defenses against missiles of other countries. In 2011, India imported more weapons than any other nation in the world. From its independence in 1947, India fought four wars with Pakistan and one war with China. Every year, 7th December is celebrated as Armed Forces Flag Day.

References

  1. ↑ "Categories of Entry". Indian Army. Archived from the original on 23 August 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  2. ↑ "Manpower Reaching Military Age Annually (2020)". Global Fire Power (GFP). Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  3. 1 2 IISS 2021, p. 259
  4. 1 2 "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.
  5. ↑ "Ministry of Defence, Govt of India". mod.nic.in. Archived from the original on 4 July 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 "India / Aircraft / Jianjiji / Fighter". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Archived from the original on 19 January 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
  7. ↑ "U.S. Security Cooperation With India". Department of State. 20 January 2021.
  8. ↑ 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.
  9. ↑ 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. 1 2 "TIV of arms imports/exports data for India, 2010-2021". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. 7 February 2022.
  11. ↑ IISS 2010, pp. 358
  12. ↑ Rabinowitz, Gavin; Press, Associated (18 June 2008). "India's army seeks military space program". SFGate.
  13. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-01-19. Retrieved 2012-04-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)