British officers often remark during official visits to Indian military institutions, “Your military is still stuck in the colonial era—we moved on long ago." These observations, though uncomfortable, hold a kernel of truth that begs critical examination. Why does India, a civilisation over 5,000 years old, continue to tie its military identity to a colonial past that lasted a mere two centuries?

Since gaining Independence in 1947, India has inherited a paradoxical military tradition—world-class in discipline and operational capability, yet deeply rooted in a colonial framework designed to serve an empire rather than a sovereign nation. Despite being a modern democracy, many institutional practices, symbols, and traditions in the Indian military still reflect British influence. From the portraits of colonial generals hanging in officers’ messes to British tunes echoing through regimental bands, colonialism continues to dominate the military ethos and traditions. Tunes of British era drummed into the Indian military bands, the import of which neither the members of the bands understand and, with some degree of confidence, I can state that nor do the officers comprehend, continue to be played with great pride.

This is when there is no acknowledgement by the British of the sacrifices made by the soldiers of British Indian Army that fought valiantly across continents and against own kith and kin in the Indian Subcontinent to ensure the British Flag was kept flying and the sun never set on the British colonial empire during the periods of pre, during, in between and post the two world wars.

Even though there is no acknowledgement of the sacrifices made by the Indian soldiers, except for the names etched at the India Gate, why is that the Indian Military continues to safeguard the British legacies and traditions while the world, including the British, have moved on? This article explores the challenges and imperatives of decolonising India’s military identity, arguing for a deliberate and conscious transition toward traditions, doctrines, and institutions rooted in Indian civilisational thought.

Colonial Hangover: Celebrating A Borrowed Legacy

The pride many veterans and officers take in British-era silverware, battle honours, and regimental histories is understandable—but misplaced if not contextualised. Much of the Indian military tradition that is celebrated today was forged in service of a colonial power. Indian soldiers, often under coercive or feudal arrangements, fought battles across continents—frequently against their own people or in wars with no bearing on India’s national interest. Their courage was undeniable, but the cause they served was not their own.

Today, a visit from a descendant of a British officer still receives more ceremonial attention than the arrival of a decorated Indian veteran. Regimental yearbooks often feature glowing accounts of British visitors, while indigenous war heroes of post-independence India are underrepresented. Such practices reflect not just colonial nostalgia but a continued internalisation of inferiority, where foreign association is still subconsciously revered.

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, a Kenyan author of repute who has written on effects of colonialism, describes colonialism as having detonated a “cultural bomb" that destroyed belief in indigenous languages, heritage, and worldview, making colonised people view their culture as inferior and worthless. Decolonising the mind means rejecting the dominance of Western knowledge and cultural standards and searching for new perspectives that liberate and affirm the identity of colonised peoples. It also involves reforming education systems and cultural narratives to prioritise local, indigenous ways of knowing.

Can Indian military lead the way by owning the warfighting traditions and legacies of known history going beyond the colonial era? Can it be proud of valiant and brilliant military leaders from our civilisational history? A daunting task keeping in view the shrillness in the current political environment and the hawk-eyed vigilant veteran community that clutches to the traditions they followed and believed in for an entire lifetime. Any change towards modernisation or even reclaiming own civilisational history will be gawked at.

The Illusion of ‘Rich Traditions’

The oft-repeated assertion, “The Indian military is proud of its rich traditions" deserves scrutiny. These traditions, in large part, are limited to the colonial period. Rarely is the glorious martial history of India prior to the British era invoked in institutional memory or military education. Where are the battle cries of the Marathas, the war strategies of the Mauryas, the expansionist campaigns of the Cholas, or the guerilla tactics of Shivaji? Why are figures like Rana Pratap, Rani Lakshmi Bai, Zorawar Singh, and Ranjit Singh not celebrated as military role models within Indian training academies? It is very recent that few Indian military leaders find a place in the photo galleries or their exploits are discussed in the training institutions.

Even the valour and sacrifice of the Indian National Army (INA), led by Netaji Subhash Chandra........

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