Kitchener identified the Indian Army's main task as the defence of the North-West Frontier against foreign aggression (particularly Russian expansion into Afghanistan) with internal security relegated to a secondary role.

The Army was organized into divisions and brigades that would act as field formations but also included internal security troops.

Instead, it was held in reserve in case of a breakthrough, although it did send parties to the trenches on a number of occasions.

The British units (17th (Duke of Cambridge's Own) Lancers and Q Battery, Royal Horse Artillery) remained in France and the Indian elements were sent to Egypt.

[8] By the outbreak of the Second World War it was resdesignated as Sialkot Brigade Area[9][b] and it was broken up again in January 1940.