Regiments of Indian Army

In 1962, 120 soldiers held a Himalayan pass against a much larger force, and 114 never came back. This article covers the Indian Army’s regiments, the units that carry stories like that forward.

1Chapter 1: The Oldest Regiments and Rezang La

Must Know

1758: Madras Regiment

• The Madras Regiment, raised in 1758, is the Army’s oldest infantry regiment.

1809: the 2nd Lancers

• The 2nd Lancers (Gardner’s Horse), raised in 1809, is one of the oldest armoured regiments.

18 November 1962: Rezang La

• 120 soldiers of 13 Kumaon held Rezang La against a much larger Chinese force.
• 114 were killed, and only six survived.
• Major Shaitan Singh led the defence.
• He was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest gallantry award.
• These are not abstract honours. They commemorate specific, named sacrifices.

1945: Parachute Regiment

• The Parachute Regiment was formed in 1945, uniting the Army’s airborne and special forces units.
• Its dual airborne and special-forces role shows how a regiment’s function can change over time.

Oldest by type, and decorated regiments

• The Rajputana Rifles, raised in 1775, is the Army’s oldest rifle regiment.
• The Maratha Light Infantry, tracing back to 1768, is the oldest light infantry regiment.
• The Sikh Regiment, formed in 1846, has won around 690 gallantry medals over its history.
• Gorkha Rifles regiments have collectively earned 26 battle honours and 3 Victoria Crosses.

2Chapter 2: Battle Honours and Firsts

Good to Know

What a battle honour is

• A battle honour is an official right, granted by the government, to display a battle or operation’s name on a regiment’s colours and insignia.
• It goes to regiments whose units took an active, creditable part in that engagement.
• Merely being present nearby is not enough.
• The practice dates back to the East India Company.
• The earliest Indian battle honour was Plassey, awarded in 1829.
• The most recent is Kargil, awarded in 1999.
• See Gallantry Awards for the medals themselves.

First summit, first command

• Colonel Avtar Singh Cheema, of 7th Para (Special Forces), became the first Indian to reach the summit of Mount Everest, in 1965.
• General Maharaja Rajendra Sinhji, from the 2nd Lancers, became India’s Commander-in-Chief in 1953.
• He was the first officer from the Armoured Corps to hold that post.
• General Bipin Chandra Joshi, also from the 2nd Lancers, served as Army Chief from July 1993 until his death in office in November 1994.

3Chapter 3: Culture and Legacy

Great to Know

One regiment, three chiefs

• Three Army Chiefs have come from one regiment, the 2nd Lancers.
• A strong institutional culture can shape leadership pipelines over generations, not just individual careers.

Why Rezang La still carries weight

• Its near-total casualties, with only six survivors, show why regimental history matters.

Recruitment and the martial races legacy

• Regiments like the Gorkha Rifles recruit from specific communities and regions.
• This reflects a colonial-era “martial races” framework.
• It has persisted, in modified form, into independent India’s army.
• Two famous soldiers link to this world: Sam Manekshaw served with the Gorkha Rifles.
• K.M. Cariappa began in a British-Indian Army regiment before independence.

4Chapter 4: Current Affairs

Current Affairs

Third Army Chief from the 2nd Lancers

• On 30 June 2026, Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth became Chief of the Army Staff.
• Like Rajendra Sinhji and Bipin Chandra Joshi before him, he comes from the 2nd Lancers.
• He is the third Army Chief the 2nd Lancers has produced, a concentration no other regiment can currently claim. (Source: PIB.)
• Read more: Dhiraj Seth, Chief of Army Staff.

Quick Q&A

• Oldest infantry regiment? Madras Regiment, 1758.
• Rezang La date? 18 November 1962.
• Who led Rezang La? Major Shaitan Singh, PVC.
• Oldest rifle regiment? Rajputana Rifles, 1775.
• Earliest battle honour? Plassey, awarded 1829.