India achieved freedom from the British rule on August 15 in 1947. Since then, India's armed forces - Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force - have gone through transformational changes. Post Independence, the strength of the Indian armed forces was some lakhs. But today, India has the second-largest and fourth best and strongest military in the world. Ahead of the Independence Day 2023, let's know how India's military strength and prowess rose over the years since 1947.

The Indian armed forces are consist of three services: the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force. The Central Armed Police Forces or CAPF such as CISF, ITBP and BSF, the Indian Coast Guard and virous inter-service commands and institutions also support the Indian armed forces to ensure internal and external security. Below are details about how the Indian military significantly changed over the years since the Independence. Independence Day 2023 Special: From Launch of India's First Satellite Aryabhata to Chandrayaan 3 and Mars Mission, List of ISRO's Major Achievements That Made India Proud.

Military Strength:

In 1947 when Indian gained independence, the armed forces had nearly five lakh soldiers. In the 1980s, the military's strength rose to over one million. According to reports, today, the Indian armed forces have a strength of 1.2 million active personnel and around 9,60,000 reserve personnel.

Nuclear Weaponry:

In 1947, India did not have any nuclear weapons. In 1974, India conducted its first nuclear test to demonstrate India's nuclear capabilities. A second series of nuclear tests were conducted in 1998, marking India's official entry into the nuclear club. As per reports, the country today possesses around 160 nuclear weapons. Independence Day 2023 Quotes, Jai Hind Slogans & Wishes: Greetings, Sayings, Tiranga Wallpapers, 15th August Images & GIFs To Celebrate Swatantrata Diwas.

Number of Fighter Jets:

Post Independence, the IAF began with a small fleet of aircraft with many made by the British. According to some reports, India had about 200 fighter jets in 1947. The IAF also lacked pilots and ground crew with experience in modern fighter aircraft. But the IAF began to modernise itself to increase its capabilities and strength. Today, India approximately has a fleet of over 1,800 aircraft. In addition to foreign-made fighter jets, India also flies the indigenous Tejas Mark 1, Mirage-2000, Dassault Rafale, SEPECAT Jaguar, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-30 MKI.

Strength of Indian Navy:

On India attaining Independence, the Royal Indian Navy (now known as Indian Navy) consisted of 32 ageing vessels and reportedly had nearly 10,000 personnel. Due to the Partition, the assets and personnel were divided between India and Pakistan. The Indian Navy quickly expanded in the years following independence. Considered one of the largest and most powerful navies in the world, the Indian Navy now has a fleet of about 150 ships and submarines including nuclear-powered submarine. As of June 2019, Indian Navy has 67,252 active and 75,000 reserve personnel in service.

Number of Tanks Then and Now:

According to some reports, the Indian armed forces had around 2,000 tanks when India became an independent country. Due to increasing hostilities between India and its neighbours like China and Pakistan, the country quickly realised that it needed to modernize its tank fleet. India not only started to purchase new tanks, but also focused on domestic production. Today, India’s armoured strength is one of the most superior and finest in the world with around 4,300 tanks and 8,700 vehicles.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 12, 2023 06:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).