Comments on: Happy Republic Day

By: Bryan

Bryan — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:35:56 +0000

They do follow the British model, but it is the model from World War II, and there is a lot of class built into the system. The problem I have with the NCOs, is that they seem to feel their main job is discipline and they don’t act on their own initiative. They waste a lot of time waiting for orders, when they know what to do. It gets annoying when you know you are working with really intelligent people, but they wait for an idiot to provide instructions. It is really bad in the technical fields.

By: Badux

Badux — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 04:51:01 +0000

It’s not really the experience thing, so much as the lack of any real homegrown leadership tradition, in my opinion. In the U.S. military I’m most familiar with the USMC. There are some old (and some not-so-old) and enduring traditions in the USMC that embody an institutional memory of what it means to be a leader of Marines as well as what it means to be a Marine, traditions passed down through the years from one generation of Marines to the next whether that generation ever experienced combat or not. There are some similar traditions in the Indian Army, but mostly about how brave their soldiers were when they obediently went off and did some damnfool thing that got them killed because their idiot British officers ordered them to do it. I.e., traditions about how to be a brave and good SOLDIER, but not all that relevant to how to be a good LEADER of soldiers.

Anyhow, that’s my theory there, and you probably have had more contact with Indian officers than I have and a better-informed opinion of how loony or accurate that theory sounds. Sounds good as we babble here on the Internets anyhow :-).

– Badtux the Observant Penguin

By: Bryan

Bryan — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 22:11:09 +0000

Yes, their officers and NCOs really need some real world experience, because the troops know how to fight.

By: Badux

Badux — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 06:50:05 +0000

The Indian military tradition is, of course, British in origin. It is easy to forget that Indian troops were the troops that won most of Western Africa for the British Empire and were the backbone of the British Army in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia during WWI and WWII. And, incidentally, were most of the "British" troops that invaded Afghanistan and got their butt kicked (twice) in the 19th century -- British officers, Indian troops. Which unfortunately was the usual case -- British officers, Indian troops. So the Indians learned a lot about swaggersticks and little mustaches and how to put on good parades, but their knowledge of actual leadership of forces in combat... ehh. Theoretical, for the most part. They've done their best to import British military tradition. But like most things British that they've imported, their take on it maybe sometimes misses the point... but damn, they sure know how to put on a good parade! Badux´s last blog post..A stranger

By: Bryan

Bryan — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 23:41:33 +0000

Their regular troops aren’t bad, but they lack experience, and don’t get enough training. They really should go for more peace keeping missions to get some kind of experience for their officers and NCOs before they have their next dust up with Pakistan.

They really need to do some force modernization, like providing dedicated helicopters for their Special Forces units.

By: Badux

Badux — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:59:24 +0000

Reminds me of the War Nerd commenting on the Indian Army and whether they have any intention of going to war over Kashmir again: But it's hard to believe the Indian Army has the right spirit when you see them drilling in those wacky uniforms, doing the Monty Python moves they got from the British. Goosestepping, swaggersticks, little mustaches -- it's pathetic. You keep looking around for John Cleese as officer-in-charge. Heh. -- Badtux the Easily-amused Penguin Badux´s last blog post..Economy still heading down...

By: Bryan

Bryan — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 06:17:57 +0000

I certainly hope someone put the parade on a cable channel, because it really is an amazing show. We have really boring uniforms in our services. The Indian military is definitely not afraid of color for their parade dress uniforms.

By: Steve Bates

Steve Bates — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 05:33:27 +0000

Well, there are slow turnips that shouldn’t be allowed to become even Senators from Alabama, which is a pretty low threshold. The last shall be first, and the first Shelby last... Most Indian holidays mean that I receive some sort of spicy food from Indian friends. This one, regrettably, was an exception. Still, I lift my glass to another nation that parted ways with the UK and became a republic. Steve Bates´s last blog post..Krugman Debunks The Cheap Shots

By: Bryan

Bryan — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 04:31:19 +0000

Well, there are slow turnips that shouldn’t be allowed to become even Senators from Alabama, which is a pretty low threshold.

By: Kryten42

Kryten42 — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 03:35:42 +0000

There are a lot of great festivals around the world that the taxpayers have permitted me to see from time to time, when people weren’t shooting at me, CK.

Heh! True dat. 😉 😀

Well… proves that Elephants are indeed smarter than Humans. Not hard… a turnip is smarter than some humans I think. 😉 LOL