A. Indians in the British Military:

It was the French who initiated the system of recruiting soldiers from amongst the Indians.

B. Captain Lawrence Pioneer:

In the wake of the Anglo-French wars in South India that Captain Lawrence started the process of recruiting Indians for the English Company. His intention was to recruit a permanent Indian army who would fight for the English.

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C. The Indian Sepoys:

The Indians recruited in the army of the English Company were known as the sepoys or sepahis. This was one of the main pillars of the British in India.

The Indian soldiers were trained by the British officers in the modern art of warfare. It must, however, be remembered that there was great discrimination between the Indian and the European soldiers in the British army.

For example, the army was officered entirely by the British.

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This was deliberately done to keep the Indian soldiers under control. Again, there was hardly any scope for promotion in case of the Indian sepahis.

The highest post an Indian sepahi can expect that of a subedar.