About the Book

The Indian Armed Forces are intimately linked to Indian society. Their role in national integration is a fascinating inquiry. The book traces the historic evolution of the Indian Armed Forces and then relates it to the extant composition and regimental system of the Indian Army.
This sociological study of the military includes insights into the inherent strengths of the army. It explores and explains the central ideas and motivations for a battle-tested military and combat effectiveness. It shows that 'class' based units have an important role to play. This book will add an important perspective to the limited literature on core issues of democratisation, citizenship and military effectiveness.

About Author

Col. P. K. Gautam (Retd) is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), New Delhi since August 2005. He was commissioned in the Regiment of Artillery in 1970. Col. Gautam was a gun position officer with 24 Medium Regiment comprising Sikh troops in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war in Bangladesh and also an observation post officer with the infantry.
A Staff College and Long Gunnery Staff Course graduate, he has been an instructor twice at the School of Artillery. His last assignment was in the Faculty of Studies at the School of Artillery, from where he took premature retirement in 2000.
He is the author of three books, Environmental Security (2003), National Security: A Primer (2004), and Operation Bangladesh (2007). His articles on military history, nuclear strategy, military and naval strategy, military sociology and environment have featured in a number of national and international journals, and books. He was on the editorial staff at the United Service Institution of India from 2002 to mid-2005.

Contents

Acknowledgements
Preface
List of Tables and Boxes

Chapter 1 The Re-emphasis of the Human Factor
Chapter 2 Evolution of the Indian Armed Forces
Chapter 3 Nature and Character of War and Combat-Effectiveness
Chapter 4 Why Soldiers Fight and the Regimental System
Chapter 5 The Present Structure and Arrangement
Chapter 6 Examination of the Pros and Cons of the Present System
Chapter 7 Policy Implications

Appendix: Recruiting Zones

Index

Additional Info.