strength of the army was 144,000 Indian and 52,000
British soldiers. But of the 7,200 officers, as many as
6,900 were British. This was because of a set policy,
A Royal Commission after the Great Revolt of 1857
recommended that an irresistible force of British
troops should be retained in India while a later Com-
mission proposed that artillery should be mainly a
European force.
Officers are mostly British. In spite of war deve-
lopments, the proportion of Indian to British officers
is still 1:4. The Indian Navy was established in
1934, and a part of the burden, so far borne by the
British Naval budget, was transferred to Indian
shoulders. By 1941 the R.LN. had grown six times,
but there was not even a single cruiser in the Navy.
"The first R.I.A.F. squadron was formed in 1933 but
was completed in 1939, after six years.
The. Indian land army, actually the Indian part
of it, is antiquated, lacking most of the latest weapons
and is officered mostly by the British. Our RJ.N, and
R.T.A.F. are a mockery even in 1946.
IN THE NAME OF DEFENCE
Expenditure of imperial expeditions has always
been borne by India. Between 1838 and 1920 the
Indian army was engaged outside India for Imperial
purposes oxi nineteen occasions. A large part of the
expenditure incurred by these expeditions was borne
by the Indian taxpayer.
In 1904 Sir E. Ellis stated frankly: "I think it is
undoubted that the Indian army in future must be a
main factor in the maintenance of balance of power
in Asia."
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