The Indian Army was the largest volunteer force in action during the Second World War. Indian Army divisions fought in the Middle East, North and East Africa, and Italy, as well as making up the overwhelming majority of troops in South East Asia. Over two million soldiers served in the army and India provided the base for the supplies for the Middle Eastern and South East Asian theatres.

In this exciting talk, Dr Alan Jeffreys will chart the dissemination of doctrine and the transformation of training from the 1930s until the end of the Second World War. During this period, the army became a ‘learning institution’ and developed a more comprehensive training structure than any other Commonwealth country. This process was instrumental in making the Indian Army a modern and professional army by 1945.

Dr Alan Jeffreys is Head of Equipment and Uniform at the National Army Museum. He is a visiting research fellow at the University of Greenwich and the author of Approach to Battle: Training the Indian Army during the Second World War. The paperback is due to be released in May 2024.

Doctrine and Training the Indian Army