Imperial Service Troops

[2] The "Panjdeh incident," however, also resulted in generous donations of money for a potential war effort from many Indian rulers, most notably the Nizam of Hyderabad.

IV 1907, p. 85, "Since a chief can neither attack his neighbour nor fall out with a foreign nation, it follows that he needs no military establishment which is not required either for police purposes or personal display, or for cooperation with the Imperial Government.

The treaty made with Gwalior in 1844, and the instrument of transfer given to Mysore in 1881, alike base the restriction of the forces of the State upon the broad ground of protection.

"[5]With the establishment of the Imperial Service Troops scheme in 1885, the Government of India undertook to contribute equipment and weapons to states' forces units listed as being available for deployment when called upon.

In return the princely states were required to bring the pledged troops up to a level of preparation that would enable them to serve alongside regular Indian regiments.

To this end Indian Army officers were seconded to Imperial Service Troops units and schools of instruction were established for IST recruits.

[6] A senior British officer was appointed as Inspector-General of Imperial Service Troops with a staff of inspectors to undertake IST training and advise the military durbars of each of the states.

While it was not British policy to employ Indian troops in the South African War of 1899–1902, considerable numbers of horses and quantities of equipment from Imperial Service stocks were provided by the princely states.

Contingents from the smaller states did not serve overseas but were employed, on internal security duties or training cavalry remounts, in India itself.

[12] In the emotional atmosphere prevailing at the beginning of the war many of the Indian rulers went beyond meeting the standing commitment to make Imperial Service Troops available for whatever purpose the Government of India decided.

In September 1914 the Viceroy Lord Hardinge reported that 700 Indian princes had offered their services in various forms from the sending of troops to the provision of hospital ships or financial assistance.

[21] ISF units saw service in Malaya, Burma, North Africa, the Middle East and Italy while detachments served as garrison and internal security troops in India itself.