103.58.74.129 at 09:17, 30 August 2021

2021-08-30T09:17:35Z

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{{for|the modern-day military of India|Indian Armed Forces}}
{{for|the naval force of British India (1871–1877)|Royal Indian Navy}}

The '''Indian Defence Force''' ('''IDF''') was a part-time defence force established as part of the [[British Indian Army|Indian Army]] in 1917 in order to release regular troops from garrison duties during the [[First World War]].

It was divided into British and Indian sections. Like the Indian Army of the time, units in the Indian section consisted primarily of British officers and Indian [[other ranks (UK)|other ranks]]. Units in the British section were all British. The Indians were volunteers, but many of the Europeans were [[conscripted]], as the Indian Defence Force Act 1917 made military service compulsory for all Europeans permanently residing in [[British India]] (including the [[princely states]]) between the ages of 16 and 50.<ref>"Indian Defence Force", ''[[The Times]]'', 3 March 1917</ref> Boys between 16 and 18 were only obliged to undertake training and men over 40 only had to serve in their local district, but men between 19 and 40 were obliged to serve anywhere required within the country. Only [[clergy]] were exempt.<ref>"Compulsory Service in India: The New Defence Force", ''[[The Times]]'', 7 March 1917</ref>

The IDF was generally unpopular among the British conscripts. It was disbanded in 1920, to be succeeded by the [[Auxiliary Force (India)]] and the [[Indian Territorial Force]].<ref>"Indian Auxiliary Force: First Year's Success", ''[[The Times]]'', 12 October 1921</ref>

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Army units and formations of British India]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1917]]

Indian Defence Force - Revision history

103.58.74.129 at 09:17, 30 August 2021