This is a list of military operations conducted by the British Indian Empire (1858–1947) and the post-independence Dominion of India (1947–1950) and the modern Republic of India (since 1950), including total wars, limited operations, and counter-insurgency missions both domestically and abroad.
British Indian Empire (1858–1947)
*e.g. settlement, withdrawal of troops, ceasefire or inconclusive
ConflictIndia and AlliesOpponent(s)Result, casualties, and losses of India and Opponent(s)Second Opium War(1856–1860) FranceVictory Treaties of Tientsin.Ambela Campaign(1863–1864)Afghan Pashtuns Yousafzai tribeDefeat Failure to subdue Afghan tribal area Forced British withdrawal from BunerBhutan War(1864–1865)BhutanVictory Bhutanese territorial cessions to India.British Expedition to Abyssinia(1867–1868) United Kingdom Ethiopian EmpireVictory British victory at the Battle of Magdala, Theodore II commits suicide.Second Anglo-Afghan War(1878–1880) United Kingdom AfghanistanVictory Treaty of Gandamak, British objectives attained. Afghanistan's tribal frontier areas annexed into British India. Afghanistan becomes a British Protectorate.Mahdist War(1881–1899) Congo Free State United Kingdom
Egypt Ethiopia Mahdist SudanVictory Sudan became an Anglo-Egyptian condominium.Anglo-Egyptian War(1882) United Kingdom
Tewfik Pasha Ahmed OrabiVictory Ahmed Orabi exiled, British occupation of Egypt.Third Anglo-Burmese War(1885) Burmese EmpireVictory The province of Burma became part of India.Third Black Mountain Expedition(1888)Yousafzai Hassanzai AkazaiVictory Allaiwal village of Pokal occupied and destroyed.Sikkim Expedition(1888) TibetVictory Tibetan forces expelled from Sikkim.Hunza-Nagar Campaign(1891)HunzaNagarVictory The British gained control of Hunza and Nagar.Chitral Expedition(1895)Chitralis Bajouri and Afghan TribesmenVictory Fort of Chitral relieved.Anglo-Zanzibar War(1896) Zanzibar SultanateVictory End of the Sultanate of Zanzibar. Zanzibar ceded to the British Empire.Tochi Expedition(1896)WaziriVictory Rebellion put down.Siege of Malakand(1897)پشتون Pashtun tribesVictory Rebellion defeatedFirst Mohmand Campaign(1897–1898)MohmandVictory Punitive expedition successful.Tirah Campaign(1897–1898)AfridiOrakzaiTsamkaniVictory Negotiations for peace were then begun with the Afridis.Boxer Rebellion(1899–1901) Empire of Japan Russia United Kingdom
France Germany Italy Yihetuan MovementVictory The rebellion was suppressed. Signing of the Boxer Protocol. Provisions for foreign troops to be stationed in Beijing.Second Boer War(1899–1902) British Cape Colony Natal Colony Rhodesia
Victory Treaty of Vereeniging, British sovereignty over The Orange Free State and the Transvaal.British expedition to Tibet(1903–1904)Victory Treaty enforced, return to status quo.Bambatha Rebellion(1906) United KingdomZulu peopleVictory Rebellion suppressedBazar Valley Campaign(1908)Zakka Khel clan of the AfridiVictory Rebellion suppressedWorld War I(1914–1918) United Kingdom
Russia Hejaz China Brazil Kingdom of NepalVictory End of the German, Russian, Ottoman, and Austro-Hungarian empires Formation of new countries in Europe and the Middle East Transfer of German colonies and regions of the former Ottoman Empire to other powers Establishment of the League of NationsAllied intervention in the Russian Civil War(1918–1920) White Movement British Empire
France China Latvian SSR Ukrainian SSR Commune of Estonia Mongolian communistsWithdrawal Allied withdrawal from Russia. Bolshevik victory over White Army.Turkish War of Independence(1919–1923) Pontic Rebels France French Armenian Legion French West Africa Armenia United Kingdom
Istanbul Government Kuva-yi Inzibatiye Italy Georgia Ankara Government Kuva-yi Nizamiye Kuva-yi MilliyeDefeatChester Neal Tate, Governments of the world: a global guide to citizens' rights and responsibilities, Macmillan Reference USA/Thomson Gale, 2006, p. 205. Armistice of Mudanya. Overthrow of the Ottoman sultanate. Treaty of Lausanne. Withdrawal of Allied forces from occupied lands of Turkey. Establishment of the Republic of Turkey.Third Anglo-Afghan War(1919) United Kingdom AfghanistanArmistice Treaty of Rawalpindi Afghan invasion repelled. Afghanistan regains control of external affairs. Reaffirmation of the Durand Line.First Waziristan Campaign(1919) WaziristanVictory Suppression of insurrection by independent Wazir tribes.Kuwait–Najd War(1919–1920) United Kingdom
Kuwait Sultanate of Nejd IkhwanVictory Ikhawan retreat.Iraqi revolt(1920) United Kingdom Iraqi rebelsVictory Faisal I of Iraq installed as the King of Iraq.Malabar rebellion(1921)Mappila MuslimsVictory Rebellion suppressed.Pink's War(1925)Mahsud tribesmenVictory Tribal leaders accept terms.Second Mohmand Campaign(1935)MohmandVictory Jirga and peace.Second Waziristan Campaign(1936–1939) Waziri tribesmenVictory Suppression of insurrection by independent Wazir tribes.World War II(1939–1945)
Including Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran (1941)Allies United Kingdom Axis
Victory Collapse of the Third Reich Fall of Japanese and Italian Empires Creation of the United Nations Emergence of the United States and the Soviet Union as superpowers Beginning of the Cold WarIndonesian National Revolution(1945–1947) Netherlands United Kingdom Indonesia British Indian withdrawal after Indian independence in 1947. Independent India's entry into the revolution. The Netherlands recognises Indonesian independence.Operation Masterdom(1945–1946) United Kingdom
France Japan Viet MinhVictory Start of the First Indochina War, lasting until the Geneva Conference of 1954.
Independent India (1947–present)
Key—
*e.g. settlement, withdrawal of troops, ceasefire or inconclusive
ConflictIndia and AlliesOpponent(s)Result, casualties, and losses of India and Opponent(s) Indonesian National Revolution(1947-1949) Location: Dutch East Indies Indonesia PDRI TNI POLRI Japanese holdouts India Dutch East Indies KNIL NICA Pao An Tui
Japan
DI/TII (from 1949)
FDR
Small guerrilla groupsIndonesian victory Independence of Indonesia from the Netherlands End of Dutch rule over most parts of Indonesia, as the Dutch East Indies ceased to exist Dutch recognition of the Indonesian independence in the Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference Formation of the United States of Indonesia Creation of the Netherlands-Indonesia Union Netherlands cedes control of most territories of the Dutch East Indies to the United States of Indonesia Indo-Pakistani War(1947–1948)Location:Kashmir Jammu & Kashmir Ceasefire One-third of Jammu and Kashmir controlled by Pakistan. Indian control over remainder.Annexation of Junagadh(1948) Location: Junagadh State of JunagadhIndian victory State of Junagadh annexed by the Dominion of India and incorporated into existing Saurashtra province.Annexation of Hyderabad(1948) Location:Hyderabad State of Hyderabad Indian victory Hyderabad annexed to the Dominion of India as a new Hyderabad province.Insurgency in Northeast India(1954-Present)Location(s):Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, TripuraSupported by:Separatist group(s) from Manipur: People's Liberation Army of Manipur Kangleipak Communist Party People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup Maoist Communist Party of Manipur
Separatist group(s) from Assam: United Liberation Front of Asom Kamtapur Liberation Organisation
Separatist group from Nagaland : National Socialist Council of Nagaland
Separatist group from Arunachal Pradesh: Tani Army
Trans-national separatist group: Kuki National Army
State Supporter: (claimed by India)(until 2018) (until 2003)
Non-State Supporter: CPI (Maoist)Ongoing Ongoing (low level insurgency) The Insurgency in Mizoram ended in 1986 following the Mizoram Peace Accord The Insurgency in Tripura ended in 2024 following the 2024 Tripura Peace Accord Congo Crisis(1960-65)<br/ ><br/ >Location: Congo First Phase(1960–1963): Republic of the CongoSupported by:
United Nations(ONUC)
Other states
(1960)
Second Phase(1963–1965): Democratic Republic of the CongoSupported by: United Nations(ONUC)(Up to 1964)
Other states First Phase(1960–1963):Supported by:
Free Republic of the CongoSupported by: (post-1960–1962) Second Phase(1963–1965): Simba rebels Kwilu rebels Supported by:Victory Debellation of the State of Katanga.Annexation of Goa(1961)Location(s):Portuguese India(Goa, Daman and Diu)Arabian SeaVictory Annexation of Goa, Daman and Diu into India.China-India War(1962)Location(s):Aksai ChinNorth-East Frontier AgencyAssamDefeat Status quo ante bellumIndo-Pakistani War(1965)Location(s): Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Bengal, Arabian Sea Inconclusive United Nations mandated ceasefire India had an upper hand in the war No permanent territorial changes (see Tashkent Declaration)Naxalite–Maoist insurgency(1967-2026)Location:IndiaSupported by: (until 2011)Communist Party of India (Maoist) People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (India)Victory Sharp decline in Maoist violence, with incidents and influence significantly reduced nationwide. Hundreds of Maoists killed and large-scale surrenders weaken insurgent leadership and structure. At least two Maoist commanders refuse to surrender and remain committed to continue fighting.Nathu La and Cho La Conflict(1967)Location:SikkimVictory Chinese withdrawal from the Kingdom of Sikkim1971 JVP insurrection(1971)Location:Ceylon Ceylon Supported by: JVP Supported by:Diplomatic support:Victory Rebel forces surrender Ceylonese government reestablishes control over entire island(1971)--> Indo-Pakistani War (1971)part of the Bangladesh Liberation WarLocation(s):East Pakistan, Bay of BangalJammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujrat, Arabian Sea Bangladesh Supported by:Supported by:Victory Pakistani surrender in East Pakistan Independence of BangladeshSiachen conflict(1984-2003)Location:Siachen GlacierVictory Annexation of the Siachen Glacier into India following Operation Meghdoot India captures Quaid Post / Bana Top during Operation Rajiv Ceasefire since 2003Insurgency in Punjab(1984-1995)Location:Punjab Khalistani militants Supported by:Victory Militancy defeatedThe Second JVP insurrection(1987-89)Location:Sri Lanka Sri Lanka India Janatha Vimukthi PeramunaVictory Emergency conditions in South-western and Central provinces of Sri Lanka lifted Insurgency declined following the fall of the Eastern blocIndian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War(1987-1990)Location:Sri Lanka Liberation Tigers of Tamil EelamCeasefire Withdrawal of Indian peace-keeping forces from Sri Lanka after ceasefireMaldivian Anti-Coup Mission(1988)Location:Maldives Maldives PLOTE Maldivian rebelsVictory Restoration of government rule in MaldivesInsurgency in Jammu and Kashmir(1989-Present)Location: Jammu and Kashmir Pakistan-based Terrorist group(s): Lashkar-e-Taiba The Resistance Front Hizbul Mujahideen Jaish-e-Mohammed HUM HuJI Al-Badr Al-Umar-Mujahideen People's Anti-Fascist Front Other separatist movements & insurgent militant groups
Political opponent(s): All Parties Hurriyat Conference JIJK
Supported by: D-Company
Al-Qaeda AQIS Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind
Islamic State IS Khorasan IS HindOngoing Ongoing low-level Insurgency Enforcement of AFSPA in Jammu and KashmirUnited Nations Operation in Somalia II(1993–1995)The part of Somali Civil WarLocation: Somalia Somali National Alliance Al-Itihaad al-Islamiya Somali National FrontUNOSOM II failureKargil War(1999)Location(s):Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir Non-state allies: United Jihad Council Lashkar-e-Taiba Hizbul Mujahideen Jaish-e-Mohammed HUM HuJI Al-Badr Al-Umar-Mujahideen Afghan mercenariesIndian victory India regains possession of Kargil Status quo ante bellumOperation Ocean Shield(2009-2016)Location(s):Indian Ocean, Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel, Arabian Sea, Red SeaNon-NATO:Somali piratesAllied victoryChina–India skirmishes(2020-21)Location:LadakhStalemate