'India's well-timed diversification of Army helped Democracy'


Posted on 20th Mar 2015 01:27 pm by mohit kumar

New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) India's well-timed decision post independence to control and diversify its army helped preserve its democracy, or it could have ended up like Pakistan which has seen three army coups post independence.

Yale university professor Steven I. Wilkinson, in his book "Army and Nation: How India's Founders Made its Army Safe for Democracy" - writes that while the Indian Army at the time of independence was dominated by few martial groups, diversification and modifications in its structure helped the country.

"If you inherit an imbalanced army, chances of a coup are high," Wilkinson said speaking about his book at the India International Center Thursday evening.

The author said in 1929, the army had overwhelmingly warriors from Sikh and Gorkha communities, both martial groups.

"In 1947, the army was still dominated by certain martial groups who made 95 percent of the troops. It was still an imbalanced army, as the British recruited troops from martial roots. These officers were also a closely knit community creating more trouble for politicians," he said.

He however added that India was still in a better position in what it inherited, compared to Pakistan, which had 72 percent of its army from Punjab alone, while thereere only 155 officers from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).

"The most represented and the least represented (in army) - Punjab and Bengal - were together in Pakistan," he said.

India on the contrary had 32 percent Sikh soldiers, 18 percent from Uttar Pradesh, and 10 percent from erstwhile Bombay province, which he said was more diversified comparatively, while still imbalanced.

The author said, however, India dealt with the issue better than Pakistan.

"India dealt with it better. Pakistan either did not try or did it too late. They could have done a lot in the 1950s," he said.

"India's political leadership felt the army needed immediate attention. (Jawaharlal) Nehru and (Vallabhbhai) Patel were thinking about it as an issue. In Pakistan there was very little thinking about it," he said.

He highlighted that at the time of independence, both Indian and Pakistani armies had a similar background, adding that the Indian Army could have reacted in a similar way as happened in Pakistan had there been political instability here.

"They were trained in the same way, and they kept ties even after partition. Had India slipped into political chaos, they (Indian Army) could have acted similar," he said.

The author also pointed out that despite of the fact that army was dominated by people from Punjab, it was not untill 1961 that the army got its first chief from the Punjab regiment - General Pran Nath Thapar.

Pakistan, since partition, has seen three military coups and several unsuccessful attempts.

It began in 1958, when the first Pakistani president, Iskander Mirza, who had retired as a major general, dismissed parliament and prime minister Feroz Khan Noon, appointing the army chief, General Ayub Khan, as the chief martial law administrator. Thirteen days later, Mirza himself was deposed by Ayub Khan, who appointed himself the president and raised himself to field marshal.

In 1977, Pakistani Army chief General Zia-ul-Haq overthrew prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was later hanged.

In 1999, General Pervez Musharraf overthrew prime minister Nawaz Sharif and and evnetually became the president.

0 Like 0 Dislike
Previous news Next news
Other news

North Korea fired a second ballistic missile in 48 hours: fell in Japan's maritime border, tested after US-South Korea military drill

North Korea has again fired two ballistic missiles into the East Sea. South Korea's Defense Minis

Biparjoy: This storm has created havoc in India, this cyclone that came 24 years ago had killed about 10,000 people.

The severe cyclonic storm 'Biparjoy' made landfall from the sea through the Jakhau coast in Kutch

NGT: Joint panel of NGT will prepare a report on air pollution from thermal plant

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has constituted a joint panel to submit a factual report on air

T20 World Cup: If Virat Kohli is there then it is possible, the King's record against PAK is unmatched, and bowlers will tremble on 9th June; know these unmatched figures

The countdown to the T20 World Cup 2024 has started. This tournament is to start on June 1 under

Haldwani Violence: Stones, blood and distraught people on the road... voices of shouting and saving, horrifying picture of the chaos came to the fore.

The gateway to Kumaon i.e. our Haldwani. The atmosphere of Haldwani City, named after the abundan

Verdict: Schools will open in Delhi from November 1, permission for Chhath Puja at Ghats

In the meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) held on Wednesday, permission ha

Shinde faction sent 3 symbols to EC: A list of sun, peepal tree, and shield-sword after not getting mace

After not getting the mace symbol from the Election Commission, the Shinde faction submitted a li

Sonal Mansingh to spread 'Swachh Bharat' message through dance

New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) Classical dancer Sonal Mansingh Tuesday announced the theme of this

President greets nation on Ram Navami

New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday greeted the nation on the eve o

IPL 2025: 'I got one more chance..', the struggle of Karun Nair who scored 89 runs in 40 balls, you will get emotional after reading

Delhi Capitals may have lost the second match of the doubleheader played on Sunday in IPL 2025, b

Sign up to write
Sign up now if you have flare of writing..
Login   |   Register
Follow Us
Indyaspeak @ Facebook Indyaspeak @ Twitter Indyaspeak @ Pinterest RSS



Play Free Quiz and Win Cash