India Yearbook - Defence
National Cadet Corps (NCC)
● Established on July 15, 1948, under the NCC Act of 1948.
● A tri-services organisation for school and college students.
● Focuses on personality development, discipline, and moral values.
● Motto: Unity and Discipline.
Sainik Schools
● Established as a joint venture between Centre and States.
● Governed by the Sainik Schools Society.
● Currently, 33 Sainik Schools operational.
● 34th school opened provisionally in 2023-24 at Bhind, Madhya Pradesh.
● All Sainik Schools now admit girl cadets (pilot program from 2021-22).
Inter-Services Organisations Act (2023)
● A law passed in 2023 to give legal powers to inter-services organisations (ISOs), like Andaman &
Nicobar Command and Defence Cyber Agency, to exercise command, control, and disciplinary
powers over personnel from all three armed forces: Army, Navy, and Air Force.
● The new Act ensures a seamless command structure in ISOs.
● Earlier, in joint commands, an officer from one service (e.g., Army) could not take disciplinary action
against personnel from another service (e.g., Navy/Air Force).
● This created command confusion and reduced operational effectiveness. The new Act solves this
by ensuring seamless command structure in ISOs Commanding Officer of an ISO (from any service)
can exercise disciplinary and administrative powers over personnel from other services as well.
● Improves Jointness: Enables better coordination, discipline, and efficiency across tri-service
commands. Supports future Theatre Commands.
Inter-services organisations (ISOs)
● Andaman & Nicobar Command
● Strategic Forces Command
● Defence Space Agency
● Defence Cyber Agency
● Integrated Defence Staff (IDS)
● Armed Forces Special Operations Division (AFSOD
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)
● The highest-ranking uniformed military officer in India.
● First CDS: General Bipin Rawat (appointed Dec 31, 2019).
● Heads the tri-service Chiefs’ committee (replacing rotational chairmanship), Chairman of the
Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC).
● The CDS is the presiding secretary of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA).
Head of Department of Military Affairs (DMA):
● Department of Military Affairs (DMA):
○ Under Ministry of Defence.
○ Integrates military inputs into defence policymaking
○ Promoting use of indigenous defence equipment
○ Joint procurement and staffing
UN Peacekeeping
● India ranks 2nd globally in troops contribution.
● 5,900 Indian troops deployed in 9 UN missions.
● India received the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal (2023) for sacrifice in DR Congo.
● Centre for UN Peacekeeping (CUNPK), New Delhi.
● Hosted Women Peacekeepers Conference.
● India deployed the 1st all-women FPU to Liberia (2007).
Atulya Ganga Initiative
● Led by: Indian Army veterans.
● Objective: To restore and preserve the ecological integrity of the Ganga River.
Eco-Development Forces (EDF) Scheme
● Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Defence.
● Funding & Inputs: Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) + State
Forest Departments.
● Eco Task Force (ETF) Battalions raised by Ministry of Defence.
● MoEFCC reimburses establishment and operational expenses of ETF units.
Objectives
● Ecological regeneration in severely degraded terrains, remote or inaccessible areas, and regions
with difficult law and order situations.
● Employment generation for ex-servicemen through meaningful ecological tasks.
Operation Sadbhavana
● Objective: Undertake military civic-action projects to support locals in remote and conflict-prone
areas.
● Regions Covered: U.T.s of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
● Activities: Infrastructure development, environment protection, education and healthcare,
women empowerment, and youth engagement.
Territorial Army (TA)
● Founder: C. Rajagopalachari, First Indian Governor-General.
● A voluntary, part-time Citizen’s Army.
● Objective: Provide military training to civilians and enable them to assist in national emergencies,
internal security, and natural disasters.
● Capable of rapid integration with Army.
Operational Use
● Op VIJAY (Kargil War, 1999)
● Op PARAKRAM (Post-Parliament attack mobilization, 2001).
● Counter Insurgency Operations (CI Ops).
NDA vs IMA
● NDA is for young aspirants right after Class 12, offering tri-service exposure.
● IMA is for graduates who want to join the Indian Army through various routes.
Agnipath Scheme
● Implemented by: Ministry of Defence.
● Objective: Major reform in human resource policy for the Armed Forces.
Who are Agniveers?
● Youths selected under the Agnipath Scheme are designated as Agniveers.
● They will serve in the Army, Navy, or Air Force for a short term of 4 years.
● Includes:
○ Basic training.
○ Active service in respective service domains (Army/Navy/Air Force).
○ Service is contractual, not permanent.
Post-Service Opportunities
● 25% of Agniveers may be enrolled into the regular cadre based on merit.
Directorate of Standardisation (DoS)
● Functions under the Ministry of Defence.
● Responsible for:
○ Standardisation and codification of defence stores.
○ Preparation of Joint Service Specifications (JSS), Rationalised Lists (JRL), and other
standard documents.
○ Reducing inventory duplication across Army, Navy, and Air Force.
Kendriya Sainik Board
● Formulates and implements policies for the welfare and rehabilitation of:
○ Ex-Servicemen (ESM).
○ War widows.
○ Disabled soldiers.
○ Dependents of ESM.
● KSB is the central organisation for ex-servicemen welfare.
● Functions under the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (DESW), Ministry of Defence.
● Welfare schemes are primarily funded through the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund (AFFDF).
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
● India's premier agency under the Ministry of Defence, responsible for military research and
development.
Objectives & Functions
● Develop state-of-the-art weapon systems and technologies for:
○ Army, Navy, Air Force.
● Self-reliance in critical defence technologies.
● Indigenous development of defence systems to reduce import dependency.
