Indian Warfare

India has one of the largest standing professional armies in the world. Yet, the study of warfare in ancient and medieval periods of Indian history had so far never been made from purely professional angle and by a professional. Major (Dr.) S.K. Bhakari presents an altogether new text and theoretical work in the history of warfare in India. Much of the material in this book has been derived from the original sources, sifted and organised to present a panoramic view of the development of strategy and tactics of warfare as known to the Indian soldiers and their mighty contemporaries from the West and the North-West. The work brings out the forces and factors that determine strategy and tactics of warfare, organisation and composition of forces, administration in the battlefield, including organisation of Intelligence and secret services, employment of different arms and armour, construction of forts and fortifications and special features of the siege-craft as practised in the early medieval period. The book is an in-depth study of the strands of strategy involved in moving huge armies to the battlefield, principles of conducting different operations of war such as Advance, Opposed-river crossing, Ambuscades, Defence, Patrolling, Deployments for battle, tactics of attack, retreat and pursuit and score of connected subjects of battle-craft with minutest details. The author has taken pains to collect and reproduce enough of historical evidence in support of his enunciations. He has extensively quoted outstanding historians and Military thinkers both ancient and modern and added a map and score of plates to further enhance the value of a comprehensive presentation. This well written text is an expert blending of the historical and the modern and has been designed to help officers of the armed forces and serious Research scholars of Military studies to develop correct perspective needed for proper understanding of warfare of the bygone Ages, which has given birth to the contemporary strategy and tactics of war.