Replied by VIF : After India’s ‘Golden Period’ under the Gupta Empire ended, the Empire’s satrapies assumed independence into nearly half a dozen monarchies and numerous kingdoms. Some of these were large enough to qualify as empires by their own right. By then, India was a ‘soney ki chidia’ - affluence and wealth was in abundance. That attracted foreign powers to attack India and gradually in bits and parts, from the 8th Century CE onwards, over the next three Centuries, capture most of India.

The reason that the famed Indian proficiency in warfare could not stem the advance of foreign powers, leave alone launching military campaigns beyond their borders, are three:-

a. Campaigning beyond the borders is a recourse to generate more revenue so as to keep a regime going and expanding. It is also undertaken to keep neighbours from indulging in mischief. India in those day had more than enough for its affluent living and had no inclination to watch over the neighbourhood devlopments.

b. The Golden Period of peace and prosperity converged people’s attention towards art, culture, leisure and submission to passive religiosity. Military skills and defence preparedness was consigned to the lowest priority. Military leadership as well as the soldiery was turned into a stable to accommodate cronies and incompetent and military industry was allowed to stagnate.

c. Monarchies, rich and arrogant, turned hostile to each other, to the extent that they preferred to invite and help foreign invaders just to settle scores among themselves. They also expected the invader to loot as much as he could and then hand over the realm to his native accomplice. That did happen at the beginning, but later the invaders, right till the British rule was established, decided that it was more profitable to rule themselves. Thus while the monarchies fell one by one, the rest did not consider it prudent to join up to chase the aggressor away.

Please note that “so and so ruthlessly and barbarically attacked India and captured it” is only partially correct. War is a ruthless undertaking indeed. Truly, all foreign invaders were allowed to help themselves to the reigns of power and they ruled with the people’s acceptance.

India’s military tradition was thus relegated just to the supply of brave and indomitable cannon fodders – ranks but no leaders, barring rare exceptions. Post-Independence, our leaders, with the people’s consensus, decided to keep India’s military power at a lowest possible state of existence, albeit with arguably valid reasons. That situation, more or less continues to date.

Posted on August 29, 2018

Topics: Civilisation, Military