Imperial Service Troops

The Imperial Service Troops were forces raised by the Native States of the British Raj in India that were available for service alongside the British Indian Army when such service was requested by the British government. At the turn of the 20th century, they aggregated about 18,000 men.

The troops were routinely inspected by British army soldiers and generally had the same equipment as Indian soldiers in the British Indian Army. Although their numbers were small, the Imperial Service Troops were employed China and British Somaliland in the first decade of the 20th century, and later saw action in World War I.

Armies of the Native States

The armies of the Native States were bound by many restrictions that were imposed by treaty arrangements and existed mainly for ceremonial use or for internal policing. According to Imperial Gazetteer of India vol. IV 1907, p. 85,

"Since a chief can neither attack his neighbour nor fall out with a foreign nation, it follows that he needs no military establishment which is not required either for police purposes or personal display, or for cooperation with the Imperial Government. The treaty made with Gwalior in 1844, and the instrument of transfer given to Mysore in 1881, alike base the restriction of the forces of the State upon the broad ground of protection. The former explained in detail that unnecessary armies were embarrassing to the State itself and the cause of disquietude to others: a few months later a striking proof of this was afforded by the army of the Sikh kingdom of Lahore. The British Government has undertaken to protect the dominions of the Native princes from invasion and even from rebellion within: its army is organized for the defence not merely of British India, but of all the possessions under the suzerainty of the King-Emperor."

See also

• British Indian Army

References

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