The Indian Army before Independence had been designed to cater to British interests in India. The need to give an indigenous character to the Army for a democratic India was felt immediately after Independence but the top priority was to cope with the immediate challenges. When India achieved Independence in 1947, there were several hundred princely States, some tiny but some as large as Hyderabad which, put together, occupied a big chunk of British India. While accession was a matter of personal discretion of the rulers, they were advised that on lapse of paramountcy they should accede to one of the two successor powers keeping in view their geographical location, the demographic composition of their people and their wishes in this regard.

By the end of July 1947, all the States barring a few, notably Hyderabad and Jammu and Kashmir, had decided to accede to India in accordance with the Instrument of Accession. The smaller states either merged into a neighbouring province or acquired the status of a centrally administered unit. A number of them integrated into a bigger administrative combination. By the end of 1949, the integration of Indian States was complete with the exception of Hyderabad and Kashmir which were having dreams of sovereignty. The dilly-dallying on the part of Maharaja of Kashmir was to have grave consequences for the subcontinent. Had he decided on accession to India before August 15 1947, the history of the sub-continent would have been different.

Later, in the immediate aftermath of Partition, the Army was involved in the evacuation of refugees and internal security duties in and around Punjab. Large-scale departure of British officers coupled with the departure of some other categories of officers also caused a great deal of disruption. Most of the cantonments being located in Pakistan led to acute shortage of accommodation. Indian officers had picked up two or three ranks and lacked experience for their new appointments. While India was still grappling with these problems it was to face its first serious challenge from Pakistan.

In September 1947, after Pakistan failed to persuade the ruler of Jammu and Kashmir to accede to it, she sent hordes of tribesmen supported and led by the Pakistani Army into Jammu and Kashmir, where they indulged in acts of loot, arson, rape and sabotage. Most of the soldiers of the Kashmir State Forces deserted their units and joined the raiders; its remnants which were dispersed all-over the state could not offer cohesive resistance. On October 24, when the enemy was only 40 kilometres from Srinagar, the Maharaja of J&K requested India for military help and signed the Instrument of Accession on October 26, thus opening the door for the entry of India’s troops into Kashmir.

At this time, Kashmir’s road communications with India were poor and Srinagar was a long distance away by a narrow track from Pathankot which ran perilously close to Pakistan border. In spite of the difficulties enumerated above, the new Indian Army rose to the occasion. On October 27, 1 Sikh, the only battalion located near Delhi which had an Indian as the Commanding Officer and one of whose rifle companies had to be formed with Sikh gunners from 13 Field Regiment and 2 Field Regiment (self-propelled), was airlifted to Srinagar. Thus, the Artillery saw first action after Independence as infantry. The 3.7 inch Howitzers of Patiala State were to follow but without dial sights. However, they fired through open sights. Reinforcements followed quickly and by November 7, Srinagar had been secured, helped in no small measure by I Sikh, 3 Para (old 1 Kumaon), 4 Kumaon and the armoured cars of 7 Light Cavalry. By this time Gilget was already in enemy hands. For the first time, an offensive had been led by Indian officers from battalion to commander’s level, and they had fought at high altitudes without winter clothing and equipment; armoured cars had never before operated at such heights as at Zojila at 3,529 metres. Aircraft had never before landed at heights of 3,353 metres as at Leh. Officers, though lacking in experience in both higher command and staff, had acquitted themselves creditably. The Air Force, of course, had played a commendable role and had helped in maintaining isolated garrisons like Punch, Leh and Kargil through air supply. Srinagar was saved by the impromptu airlift in 1947.

While the year 1948 closed with a cease-fire in Jammu and Kashmir, another recalcitrant state remained to be dealt with. The Nizam of Hyderabad had signed a Standstill Agreement with India in November 1947 but was aspiring for sovereignty. Its Razakars were becoming bolder by the day and had started making armed forays into the Union Territory. The Nizam was hobnobbing with Pakistan. He had a fairly large army consisting mostly of UP Muslims, Pathans, Arabs and Rohillas.

India could not afford to have a cancer within its body and decided to remove it by a radical surgery. Operation Polo was launched on September 13, 1948. It was planned to last for two weeks but when the hoped-for UN intervention did not materialise, the Nizam made a suitable radio announcement on September 17. Next day, the C-in-C of Nizam’s army surrendered. Major General (later General) JN Chaudhuri, who had led operation Polo, was appointed the Military Governor of Hyderabad to restore law and order. Operation against the Naxalite insurgents who were running a parallel government in the Telengana region lasted many months. The Nizam eventually signed the Instrument of Accession on January 26, 1950.

With the problem of integration of states having been satisfactorily resolved, though only provisionally so in the case of Jammu and Kashmir, the other problems facing the Army had to be addressed. General (later Field Marshal) KM Cariappa was appointed the Chief of Army Staff and C-in-C Army with effect from January 15, 1949. It was a red-Ietter day for the Indian Army as it was now led by an Indian for the first time. This day is celebrated as the " Army Day" every year. Vigorous steps were taken to make up the acute shortage of officers, recruitment was thrown open to all classes, the role of the Army was defined as defence against external aggression and internal security, and measure were taken to bring the Army and the people closer. Spellings of ‘Gurkha’ and ‘Mahratta’ were changed to ‘Gorkha’ and ‘Maratha’. Stress was laid on maintaining old traditions and developing leadership qualities.

A new regiment known as the Brigade of the Guards was raised in April 1949 consisting of the seniormost battalions of four regiments namely, 2 Punjab (1 Punjab was already a Parachute Battalion), 1 Grenadiers, 1 Rajputana Rifles, 1 Rajput and thus became the senior-most infantry regiment. As mentioned earlier, the honour of being the first infantry regiment to be raised after Independence went to 11 Gorkha Rifles. The Indian Navy’s inter se seniority was changed and the Army became the senior service. In the post- Independence reorganisation of the Army, all infantry regiments except the Gorkhas, shed the numerals acquired in 1922. Thus, the 2nd Punjab Regiment, 3rd Madras Regiment, 4th Bombay Grenadiers, 5th Maratha Light Infantry, 6th Rajputana Rifles, 7th Rajput Regiment, 9th Jat Regiment, 11th Sikh Regiment, 17th Dogra Regiment, 18th Royal Garhwal Rifles and 19th Hyderabad Regiment (later Kumaon Regiment)—all shed their numeral prefixes.

When India was declared a Republic on January 26, 1950, there were consequential changes in the Army, too. The Governor General’s Body Guard became the President’s Body Guard (the Body Guards of Governors was disbanded in 1947). Non-lndian associations, particularly those connected to British Royalty, were dropped. The crown in cap badges and badges of rank was replaced by the three Ashoka Lions, and the four- pointed star of the Order of the Bath by a five pointed star; and gallantry awards were introduced for post-lndependence operations. Also the King’s Colours were laid up in the Indian Military Academy after an impressive and solemn ceremony on November 23, 1950. These and many other steps were taken to give an indigenous touch to the Indian Army. But perhaps the most important thing that brought about the transformation was that now on Indian Army was for Indians.