Evening star., 1947-07-07
Splitting Indio's Army

Another moment0uS step is being taken
in the liquidation of British rule over a
divided India. With the assent OF the
Partition Council, representing both 1ndia's
major groups, the native armed forces are
to be divided Immediately between Hindu
stan Officially known as the Union OF
India) and the Moslem state of Pakistan.
Recognizing frankly the religious cleav-
ages that are the basic reality in Indian
life, the division is to be made strictly on
creedal lines. Existing Hindu units,
wherever stationed, will move into Union
territory, while Moslem units will similarly
move into PakiStan areas. Taken together,
that will account for about three-fourths
of the total. The balance, composed OF
other faiths, can choose between the two
establishments. 1t is certain that the
Sikhs, with their redoubtable fighting
reputation, will choose for the Union since
they are q dissident Hindu sect and are
traditionally anti-Moslem. The same is
likely for recruits processing the Jain,
Animist, and Buddhist faiths. The choice
of the native Christians is less certain.
Although division is to be immediate, a
liaison tie is temporarily provided in the
shape of joint central administration
headed by the present British commander
in chief, Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchin-
leck. However, he will have no operational
authority, and the liaison will end on
April /, 1948. After that date, The two
military establishments will be completely
separate, and the respective governments
can do as they please with their armed
forces.
The implications of all this are as risky
as they are momentous. To begin with,
the entire character OF the Indian armed
forces will be transformed. 1t should be
understood that there never has been an
Indian army" in the strictly technical
sense. What existed has been body OF
native troops owing direct allegiance to
the King Emperor as sole and supreme
authority, since India" in our western
national concept, did not exist. Further
more, the various contingents were in
evitably segregated along religious lines,
since soldiers of different faiths would
neither eat the same food nor eat together.
Indeed, one OF the operational difficulties
OF the Indian army has been that several
COIIlIIllSSdIIAIS lldQ w NC pIoFAoeO! alOtliCA
noteworthy fact Is that, until the late war,
the Indian army was highly professional
establishment, recruited by voluntary en-
listment almost on a hereditary basis.
The recruits usually came from certain
districts or even villages, inhabited by one
or another of the traditionally "warlike
stocks" They entered the army with the
idea of making it lifetime career, and
fathers commonly destined their sons from
birth to succeed them with the colors.
Relatively good pay, honors, and pensions
made the armed services highly attractive
in so poor country; so standards OF
acceptance were high, and the man
accepted felt himself fortunate. Similarly,
the numbers accepted were limited.
During the late war, the Indian army was
vastly expanded. Although voluntary en-
listment was maintained, the mass OF
recruits diluted quality and changed the
spirit OF the establishment. Since the war,
most of these wartime recruits have been
discharged, and the presence Of vast num-
bers OF ex-soldiers among the civilian