Shedding Colonial Practices in Armed Forces

• 01 Oct 2024

Source: IE

Why in News?

Recently, the Defence minister released a publication on 'Colonial Practices and the Armed Forces-A Review' which proposes shedding colonial practices and advocated indigenisation in the doctrines, procedures and customs practised in the Armed Forces.

• Earlier, Project Udbhav was launched to synthesise ancient wisdom with contemporary military practices.

What are the Key Changes Proposed to Shed Colonial Vestiges?

• Focus on Indigenous Strategies: Efforts are underway to foster India-centric strategic thinking among young military leaders by incorporating texts from ancient Indian strategists into their courses.
  • Eg. Land campaign studies of Indian Generals such as Marathas or Sikhs and naval exploits of Raja Raja Chola I and his son Rajendra Chola.
  • It could also include the governance model of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya.
• Incorporating Indigenous Texts: The Army Training Command has drafted reading material on ancient Indian concepts and doctrines for Army personnel.
  • It includes the ‘Pearls of Ancient Indian Wisdom’ with extracts from the Gita, Panchatantra, Arthashastra, Chanakya Niti and Thirukkural.
• Pan-India Character of Infantry Regiments: The military is exploring ways to give a more pan-India character to the Army’s infantry regiments, enhancing diversity and representation across units.
• Enhanced Use of Indian Cultural Elements: More Indian poetry, prayers, songs will be used in military training institutions replacing colonial era literature, such as “IF by Rudyard Kipling” and the current prayer in English at NDA.
• Drafting a Tri-Service Act: A major structural change being discussed is the replacement of the three individual service Acts with a consolidated tri-service Act to streamline governance across the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

What is Project Udbhav?

• About: It aims to integrate India's rich historical military knowledge with modern military practices.
  • It is a joint initiative between the Indian Army and the United Services Institution of India (a think tank).
• Incorporating Ancient Texts and Philosophies:
  • Chanakya's Arthashastra: It emphasises the importance of strategic partnerships, alliances, and diplomacy, aligning with modern military practices like international cooperation and soft power.
  • Thirukkural by Thiruvalluvar: It promotes ethical conduct in all situations, including warfare, aligning with modern military ethics like just war principles and the Geneva Convention.
  • Military Campaigns of Ancient Leaders: Indian leaders such as Chandragupta Maurya, Ashoka, and the Cholas offer valuable insights into governance and military success.
• Prominent Military Campaigns:
  • Naval Battle of Saraighat (1671): Lachit Borphukan's Naval Battle of Saraighat is a prime example of using diplomacy, psychological warfare, military intelligence, and exploiting Mughal weaknesses.
  • Chhatrapati Shivaji and Maharaja Ranjit Singh: Both leaders employed tactics to defeat numerically superior Mughal and Afghan forces which are key lessons in asymmetric warfare and naval defence.
• Indic Studies at Defence Institutions: Academic institutions such as the College of Defence Management (CDM) have conducted studies that link Indian culture with strategic thinking, contributing valuable content to Project Udbhav.

What are Previous Initiatives to Shed Colonial Legacy?

• Flag: The Indian Navy has renamed ‘Jack’ to ‘National Flag’ and ‘Jackstaff’ to ‘National Flag Staff’.
• Insignia: The colonial cross of St. George was replaced with Shivaji's octagonal stamp in September 2022.
• Rank: The epaulettes (insignia of rank), traditionally adorned with Nelson's ring, now bear the imprint of Chatrapati Shivaji.
• Traditional Dress: Adoption of Kurta-Pyjama in naval messes.
• Ceremonial Practices: The Indian Army has started phasing out traditional practices such as horse-drawn buggies.

UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Prelims:

Q.Consider the following statements in respect of the National Flag of India according to the Flag Code of India, 2002: (2023)

Statement-I: One of the standard sizes of the National Flag of India is 600 mm x 400 mm.

Statement-II: The ratio of the length to the height (width) of the Flag shall be 3 : 2.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

(a) Both Statement-I and Statement- II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I

(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement- I

(c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect

(d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement- II is correct

Ans: (d)