Indian army has become integral part of Modi’s political agenda
Islamabad: The army in India, under the leadership of the Hindu extremist organization Bharatiya Janata Party, has now become not just a military institution but an integral part of Narendra Modi’s political agenda.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the rapid increase in the influence of Hindutva on the Indian army has jeopardized the neutral and secular character of the army and has turned it into a political and religious institution.
These changes prove that the Indian armed forces have now become “Modi’s army”, where Hindu nationalism is dominant and its professional integrity and impartiality have come under serious threat. Supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political agenda, the Indian military has undergone fundamental changes in its identity. These include making political statements, participating in Hindu religious rituals, and courting the political elite, threatening the military’s neutrality and secular identity.
Several incidents and policy decisions show that the Indian Army has abandoned its secular philosophy and is pursuing Hindu nationalist ideologies, political interference, and discrimination against minorities.
In January 2025, a major change was seen in the Army Chief’s lounge in the block next to the Indian capital, New Delhi. Where the historical picture of the 1971 war was removed and a picture of “Karam Kshetra” was displayed, which shows Hindu gods and goddesses like Krishna and Chanakya with modern military equipment. This move clearly shows that the secular tradition of the Indian Army is being promoted in favor of Hindu religious culture.
In December last year, the Army’s Fire and Fury Corps installed a statue of the 17th century Hindu king Shivaji in the sensitive Pangong Tso area of Ladakh, along with a golden flag, reflecting the army’s efforts to strengthen its Hindu identity.
The process of participating in religious rituals by the Indian military leadership is also increasing. On the occasion of National Unity Day this year, the Indian Army Chief publicly participated in Hindu religious rituals and received tilak and garlands from Hindu priests. This action of the Indian Army Chief has raised questions about the neutrality and secular identity of the army.
On May 25, 2025, the Army Chief visited the ashram of Hindu religious leader Jagadguru Rambhadra Acharya in the state of Madhya Pradesh. On this occasion, Jagadguru Rambhadra Acharya asked the Army Chief to take back Azad Jammu and Kashmir in Daksha. With this incident, the Army Chief presented himself as a religious disciple rather than a senior military officer. This incident is an example of blurring the boundaries between military responsibility and religion.
The Indian Army has also changed the names of its operations to paint itself in the color of Hindutva, Hindu religious terms are being used for the names of military operations. For example, the choice of names like Operation Sindoor and Mahadev, which are associated with the most important symbols of Hinduism.
This is a clear indication that ideological and political branding changes are taking place in the army. Under the 2022 Agnipath scheme, thousands of workers from Hindu nationalist networks such as the RSS are being recruited into the Indian army. Even the Sainik Schools, which are important for training future officers, are being influenced by Hindu nationalist groups such as Vidya Bharati and the Ram Mandir movement, and saffron ideologies are being strengthened in the military leadership.
Complaints of pressure and discrimination against minority officers, including Sikhs, Muslims and Christians, to participate in Hindu religious rituals in the Indian army have increased.
In a recent incident, a Christian officer in the army, Lieutenant Samuel Kamalison, was dismissed for not participating in Hindu rituals. The Delhi High Court has also upheld this biased decision of the Indian Army, which is facing a new challenge for minority officers in the army.
The 2025 report of the international human rights organization, Human Rights Watch, has revealed that more than 520 people have been killed in military custody. Some of which are linked to these ideological changes.
The alignment of the Indian Army with Hindu ideology makes it clear that the Army has now become not just a military institution but an integral part of Narendra Modi’s political agenda. The Indian Armed Forces have now become “Modi’s Army”, where Hindu nationalism dominates and its professional integrity and impartiality are under serious threat.
