The regiment had its antecedents in the old Madras Army of the British East India Company, which was largely responsible for the British conquest of south and central India. Captain James Dalrymple at Ellore in November 1788, as the 29th Madras Battalion. Next year, it took part in the Third Mysore War. In 1799, it took part in the Seringapatam. Four years later, it was engaged in the Second Mahratta War, while in 1824, it moved to Burma to take part in the First Burma War. It returned to Burma in 1890, and was engaged in the pacification of Upper Burma following the Third Anglo-Burmese War.