Indian Defence System

The Indian Defence System is mainly divided into three branches - Army, Navy and Air Force. Although the President is the 'Supreme Commander' of the Indian Defence Forces (Article 53) as per the Constitution, the administrative functions related to national security are performed by the Ministry of Defence. The major decisions in defence matters are taken by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs headed by the Prime Minister. The Defence Minister is responsible to Parliament in all matters relating to the department. The administrative and operational matters of the forces are taken by the Ministry of Defence and the three services. The headquarters of all three services are in New Delhi. India is the fourth largest military power in the world in terms of manpower. The Coast Guard, Territorial Army and NCC are the subordinate branches of the Defence Forces. The Central Police Forces are special security forces working under the Union Home Ministry in relation to the internal security of the country. The Central Police Forces have two components namely the Central Police Organisation and the Central Armed Police Forces. The Ministry of Defence has five departments - 

1. Department of Defence (DOD)

2. Department of Military Affairs (DMA)

3. Department of Defence Production (DDP)

4. Department of Defence Research and Development (DRDO) and 

5. Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (DESW)

Indian Armed Forces 

◆ Indian Military

◆ Indian Air Force

◆ Indian Navy

 Special Forces of Indian Armed Forces

◆ Para Commando (Indian Military)

◆ MARCOS/Marine Commandos (Indian Navy)

◆ Garud Commando Force (Indian Air Force)

Subordinate Branches of the Defence Forces

◆ Coast Guard

◆ Territorial Army (TA)

◆ National Cadet Corps (NCC)

Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF)

◆ Assam Rifles (AR)

◆ Border Security Force (BSF)

◆ Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)

◆ Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)

◆ National Security Guard (NSG)

◆ Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)

◆ Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)

Central Police Organisation (CPO)

◆ Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)

◆ Intelligence Bureau (IB)

◆ Research and Analysis Wing (RAW)

◆ National Investigation Agency (NIA)

◆ National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)

◆ Police Research and Development Bureau, Libraries Network

◆ Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA)

◆ North Eastern Police Academy

◆ National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science

◆ Bureau of Immigration, India

◆ Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)

◆ Central Vigilance Commission

Other Security Forces in India

◆ Railway Protection Force (RPF)

◆ Special Frontier Force (SFF)

◆ Special Protection Group (SPG)

◆ Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA)

◆ Rapid Action Force (RAF)

◆ Home Guards

◆ Rashtriya Rifles

◆ Ghatak Platoon