The Commander-in-Chief of India, Lord Kitchener carried out a reform of the British Indian Army in 1903. These reforms were intended to improve the Army, which had been formed from the separate Bengal, Bombay and Madras presidency armies in 1895 to be replaced by the Bengal, Bombay, Madras and Punjab commands. The localisation of regiments was abolished, and in future every regiment was to have the opportunity of experiencing service on the Frontier.

To signify the unification of the three presidency armies, regiments in all Corps were assigned new designations with distinct numerals. The Bengal, Madras, and Bombay Sappers and Miners were numbered consecutively, with presidency names removed. Cavalry regiments were numbered as follows:

Bengal regiments retained their existing numbers. 20 was added to the numbers of Punjab regiments. The word 'Punjab' was replaced by 'Frontier Force'. 25 was added to the numbers of Madras regiments. 1st, 2nd, and 4th Regiments of Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent were re-numbered as 20th, 29th and 30th. 30 was added to the numbers of Bombay regiments. The Central India Horse regiments were brought into the line with 37 added to their numbers.

Infantry regiments were numbered as follows: Bengal regiments retained their existing numbers. As the 9th, 42nd, 43rd, and 44th regiments were Gurkha Rifle regiments, they were transferred to the Gurkha Line as 9th, 6th, 7th and 8th Gurkha Rifles. Their places were filled by infantry units from Local Corps. 50 was added to the numbers of Sikh Infantry regiments. Punjab regiments, less the 5th Gurkhas, were numbered consecutively as the 55th to 59th; so that, for example, the 2nd and 4th Punjab Infantry became 56th and 57th respectively. The word 'Punjab' was replaced by 'Frontier Force'. 60 was added to the numbers of Madras regiments (53 to that of the 25th regiment of Madras Infantry). The 10th regiment was transferred to the Gurkha Line as the 10th Gurkha Rifles. The remaining Burma regiments were renamed as Punjabis (except the 33rd, which became 93rd Burma Infantry). Regiments which recruited from north-western India were renamed as Punjabis, while those recruiting from southern India were renamed as Carnatic Infantry. 93 was added to the numbers of Hyderabad Contingent regiments. 100 was added to the numbers of Bombay regiments.Barthorp, pp.15-42

By 1903, the total strength of the Indian Army was 240,000 men.Perry, p.85 They served in 39 cavalry regiments, 135 infantry battalions (including 17 Gurkha), a joint cavalry-infantry unit the Corps of Guides, three sapper regiments and 12 mountain artillery batteries.Sumner p.3 In addition to the regular Indian Army, the armies of the Princely states, and regiments of the Auxiliary force (European volunteers) could also be called on to assist in an emergency. The Princely states had 22,613 men in 20 cavalry regiments and 14 infantry battalions.Perry, p.86 The Auxiliary force could field another 40,000 men in 11 regiments of horse and 42 volunteer infantry battalions. Also available were the Frontier Militia and the Military Police, which could field 34,000 men between them.

Cavalry Bodyguard troops Governor-General's BodyguardQuarterly Indian Army List January 1919, p. 262 Governor's Bodyguard, Madras Governor's Bodyguard, Bombay

Former Bengal Regiments Source: 1st Duke of York's Own Lancers (Skinner's Horse): Late 1st Regiment of Bengal Irregular Cavalry. 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse): Late 2nd Regiment of Bengal Irregular Cavalry. 3rd Skinner's Horse: Late 4th Regiment of Bengal Irregular Cavalry. 4th Lancers: Late 6th Regiment of Bengal Irregular Cavalry. Renamed 4th Cavalry in 1904. 5th Cavalry: Late 7th Regiment of Bengal Irregular Cavalry. 6th Prince of Wales's Cavalry: Late 8th Regiment of Bengal Irregular Cavalry. Renamed 6th King Edward's Own Cavalry in 1906. 7th Lancers: Late 17th Regiment of Bengal Irregular Cavalry. Renamed 7th Hariana Lancers in 1904. 8th Lancers: Late 18th Regiment of Bengal Irregular Cavalry. Renamed 8th Cavalry in 1904. 9th Hodson's Horse 10th Duke of Cambridge's Own Lancers (Hodson's Horse) 11th Prince of Wales's Own Lancers: Late 1st Regiment of Sikh Irregular Cavalry. Renamed 11th Prince of Wales's Own Lancers (Probyn's Horse) in 1904, 11th King Edward's Own Lancers (Probyn's Horse) in 1906. 12th Cavalry: Late 2nd Regiment of Sikh Irregular Cavalry. 13th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers: Late 4th Regiment of Sikh Irregular Cavalry. Renamed 13th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers (Watson's Horse) in 1904. 14th Murray's Jat Lancers 15th Lancers (Cureton's Multanis) 16th Cavalry 17th Cavalry 18th Tiwana Lancers: Renamed 18th Prince of Wales's Own Tiwana Lancers in 1906. 19th Lancers (Fane's Horse)

Former Punjab Regiments Source: 21st Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry (Frontier Force): Late 1st Regiment of Punjab Cavalry. Renamed 21st Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry (Frontier Force) (Daly's Horse) in 1904. 22nd Cavalry (Frontier Force): Late 2nd Regiment of Punjab Cavalry. Renamed 22nd Sam Browne's Cavalry (Frontier Force) in 1904. 23rd Cavalry (Frontier Force): Late 3rd Regiment of Punjab Cavalry. 25th Cavalry (Frontier Force): Late 5th Punjab Cavalry.

Former Madras regiments Source: 26th Light Cavalry: Late 1st Regiment of Madras Light Cavalry 27th Light Cavalry: Late 2nd Regiment of Madras Light Cavalry. 28th Light Cavalry: Late 3rd Regiment of Madras Light Cavalry.

Former Hyderabad regiments Source: 20th Deccan Horse: Late 1st Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent. 29th Lancers (Deccan Horse): Late 2nd Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent. 30th Lancers (Gordon's Horse): Late 4th Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent.

Former Bombay regiments Source: 31st Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers: Late 1st Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry. 32nd Lancers: Late 2nd Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry. 33rd Queen's Own Light Cavalry: Late 3rd Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry. 34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse 35th Scinde Horse 36th Jacob's Horse 37th Lancers (Baluch Horse)

Former Local Corps Source: 38th Central India Horse: Renamed 38th Prince of Wales’s Own Central India Horse in 1906. 39th Central India Horse: Renamed 39th Prince of Wales’s Own Central India Horse in 1906.

Cavalry and Infantry Queen's Own Corps of Guides: Renamed Queen’s Own Corps of Guides (Lumsden’s) in 1904; Queen Victoria’s Own Corps of Guides (Frontier Force) (Lumsden’s) in 1911. Cavalry and Infantry units separated in 1922.

Infantry

Former Bengal Regiments Source: 1st Brahmans: Late 21st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry. 2nd (Queen’s Own) Rajput Light Infantry: Late 31st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry. Renamed 2nd Queen Victoria’s Own Rajput Light Infantry in 1911. 3rd Brahmans: Late 32nd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry. Disbanded 1922. 4th Prince Albert Victor's Rajputs: Late 33rd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry. 5th Light Infantry: Late 42nd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry. Disbanded 1922. 6th Jat Light Infantry: Late 43rd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry. Renamed 6th Royal Jat Light Infantry in 1921. 7th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Rajputs: Late 47th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry. 8th Rajputs: Late 59th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry. 10th Jats: Late 65th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry. 11th Rajputs: Late 70th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry. 12th Pioneers (The Kelat-i-Ghilzie Regiment) 13th Rajputs (The Shekhawati Regiment) 14th Ferozepore Sikhs: Renamed 14th Prince of Wales's Own Ferozepore Sikhs in 1906; 14th King George’s Own Ferozepore Sikhs in 1910. 15th Ludhiana Sikhs 16th Rajputs (The Lucknow Regiment): Formed by amalgamating 13th, 48th, and 71st Regiments of Bengal Native Infantry. 17th Infantry (The Loyal Regiment): Formed by amalgamating 3rd, 36th, and 61st Regiments of Bengal Native Infantry. Disbanded 1921. 18th Infantry 19th Punjabis: Late 7th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. 20th (The Duke of Cambridge's Own) Punjabis: Late 8th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. Renamed 20th Duke of Cambridge's Own Infantry (Brownlow's Punjabis) in 1904. 21st Punjabis: Late 9th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. 22nd Punjabis: Late 11th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. 23rd Sikh Pioneers: Late 15th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. 24th Punjabis: Late 16th Regiment of Punjab Infantry.

25th Punjabis: Late 17th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. 26th Punjabis: Late 18th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. 27th Punjabis: Late 19th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. 28th Punjabis: Late 20th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. 29th Punjabis: Late 21st Regiment of Punjab Infantry. 30th Punjabis: Late 22nd Regiment of Punjab Infantry. 31st Punjabis: Late 23rd Regiment of Punjab Infantry. 32nd Sikh Pioneers: Late 24th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. 33rd Punjabis 34th Sikh Pioneers: Renamed 34th Royal Sikh Pioneers in 1921. 35th Sikhs 36th Sikhs 37th Dogras 38th Dogras 39th Garhwal Rifles: Renamed 39th Royal Garhwal Rifles in 1921, 18th Royal Garhwal Rifles in 1922. 1st Battalion: Raised 1887. 2nd Battalion: Raised 1901. 40th Pathans 41st Dogras 45th Rattray's Sikhs 46th Punjabis 47th Duke of Connaught's Own Sikhs 48th Pioneers

Former Punjab Regiments Source: 51st Prince of Wales's Own Sikhs (Frontier Force): Late 1st Regiment of Sikh Infantry. 52nd Sikhs (Frontier Force): Late 2nd Regiment of Sikh Infantry. 53rd Sikhs (Frontier Force): Late 3rd Regiment of Sikh Infantry. 54th Sikhs (Frontier Force): Late 4th Regiment of Sikh Infantry. 55th Coke's Rifles (Frontier Force): Late 1st Regiment of Punjab Infantry. 56th Infantry (Frontier Force): Late 2nd Regiment of Punjab Infantry. Renamed 56th Punjabi Rifles (Frontier Force) in 1906. 57th Wilde's Rifles (Frontier Force): Late 4th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. 58th Vaughan's Rifles (Frontier Force): Late 5th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. 59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force): Late 6th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. Renamed 59th Royal Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force) in 1921.

Former Madras Regiments Source: 61st Pioneers: Late 1st Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. Renamed 61st Prince of Wales's Own Pioneers in 1906; 61st King George's Own Pioneers in 1910. 62nd Punjabis: Late 2nd Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. 63rd Palamcottah Light Infantry: Late 3rd Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. Disbanded 1922. 64th Pioneers: Late 4th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. 65th Carnatic Infantry: Late 5th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. Disbanded 1904. 66th Punjabis: Late 6th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. 67th Punjabis: Late 7th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. 69th Punjabis: Late 9th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. 71st Coorg Rifles: Late 11th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. Disbanded 1904. 72nd Punjabis: Late 12th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. 73rd Carnatic Infantry: Late 13th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. 74th Punjabis: Late 14th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. 75th Carnatic Infantry: Late 15th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. 76th Punjabis: Late 16th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. 77th Moplah Rifles: Late 17th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. Disbanded 1907. 78th Moplah Rifles: Late 25th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. Disbanded 1907. 79th Carnatic Infantry: Late 19th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. 80th Carnatic Infantry: Late 20th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. Disbanded 1921. 81st Pioneers: Late 21st Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. 82nd Punjabis: Late 22nd Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. 83rd Wallajahbad Light Infantry: Late 23rd Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. 84th Punjabis: Late 24th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. 86th Carnatic Infantry: Late 26th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. 87th Punjabis: Late 27th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. 88th Carnatic Infantry: Late 28th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. Disbanded 1922. 89th Punjabis: Late 29th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. 90th Punjabis: Late 30th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. 91st Punjabis (Light Infantry): Late 31st Regiment of Madras Native Infantry.