Question : REGIMENT SYSTEM IN INDIAN ARMY

(a) whether it is a fact that unlike the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force, the Indian Army is divided on the lines of regional identities like Jat, Sikh, Maratha and Rajpoot and other regiments;

(b) if so, whether the Government propose to do away with this British colonial system of division of Indian Army into regional regiments to inculcate the Indian feeling in the Indian Army and eliminate polarization theory of marshal race and non-marshal race when the Bengalees were excluded by Britishers as they were votaries of armed revolution against British rule; and

(c) if so, the details thereof? A N S W E R

MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI GEORGE FERNANDES)

(a) to (c): A Statement is attached.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 782 FOR 22.11.2001

The Indian Army is not divided on the lines of Regional identity. However, prior to Independence there was emphasis on recruitment to the Army from certain classes which were commonly referred to as `Martial` class, as the class composition was considered to be a powerful factor in fostering cohesiveness in battle amongst troops. After independence, the concept of class composition was discarded for Arms and Services, except to a limited extent for the Armoured Corps, the Artillery and Infantry. Recruitment to all Arms and Services except these three arms was thrown open to all Indian nationals irrespective of any consideration of caste, creed, class, region and religion. A conscious decision has been taken to retain some units as Single/Fixed/Mixed classes based on historical and traditional considerations, combat effectiveness, operational performance and experience. This has been done to establish the concept of `All India All class` units.

(b) It is pertinent to mention that no new regiment has been raised on `one class/mixed class` basis.