List of wars involving India
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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)
- British Indian victory
- Another result*
- British Indian defeat
*e.g. settlement, withdrawal of troops, ceasefire or inconclusive
| Conflict | India and Allies | Opponent(s) | Result, casualties, and losses of India and Opponent(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Second Opium War (1856–1860) |
Victory | ||
| Ambela Campaign (1863–1864) |
Afghan Pashtuns
|
Defeat
| |
| Bhutan War (1864–1865) |
Bhutan | Victory
| |
| British Expedition to Abyssinia (1867–1868) |
Victory
| ||
| Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878–1880) |
Victory
| ||
| Mahdist War (1881–1899) |
Victory
| ||
| Anglo-Egyptian War (1882) |
Victory
| ||
| Third Anglo-Burmese War (1885) |
Victory
| ||
| Third Black Mountain Expedition (1888) |
Yousafzai | Victory
| |
| Sikkim Expedition (1888) |
Victory
| ||
| Hunza-Nagar Campaign (1891) |
Hunza Nagar |
Victory | |
| Chitral Expedition (1895) |
Chitralis Bajouri and Afghan Tribesmen | Victory
| |
| Anglo-Zanzibar War (1896) |
Victory
| ||
| Tochi Expedition (1896) |
Waziri | Victory
| |
| Siege of Malakand (1897) |
پشتون Pashtun tribes | Victory
| |
| First Mohmand Campaign (1897–1898) |
Mohmand | Victory
| |
| Tirah Campaign (1897–1898) |
Afridi Orakzai Tsamkani |
Victory
| |
| Boxer Rebellion (1899–1901) |
Victory
| ||
| Second Boer War (1899–1902) |
Victory
| ||
| British expedition to Tibet (1903–1904) |
Victory
| ||
| Bambatha Rebellion (1906) |
Zulu people | Victory
| |
| Bazar Valley Campaign (1908) |
Zakka Khel clan of the Afridi | Victory
| |
| World War I (1914–1918) |
|
Victory
| |
| Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War (1918–1920) |
|
Withdrawal
| |
| Turkish War of Independence (1919–1923) |
Defeat[1]
| ||
| Third Anglo-Afghan War (1919) |
Armistice
| ||
| First Waziristan Campaign (1919) |
Victory
| ||
| Kuwait–Najd War (1919–1920) |
Victory
| ||
| Iraqi revolt (1920) |
Victory
| ||
| Malabar rebellion (1921) |
Mappila Muslims | Victory
| |
| Pink's War (1925) |
Mahsud tribesmen | Victory
| |
| Second Mohmand Campaign (1935) |
Mohmand | Victory
| |
| Second Waziristan Campaign (1936–1939) |
Victory
| ||
| World War II (1939–1945)
|
Allies | Axis | Victory
|
| Indonesian National Revolution (1945–1947) |
| ||
| Operation Masterdom (1945–1946) |
Victory
|
Independent India (1947–present)
Key—
- Indian victory
- Another result*
- Indian defeat
- Ongoing conflict
*e.g. settlement, withdrawal of troops, ceasefire or inconclusive
| Conflict | India and Allies | Opponent(s) | Result, casualties, and losses of India and Opponent(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesian National Revolution (1947-1949) Location: |
Small guerrilla groups |
Indonesian victory
| |
| Indo-Pakistani War (1947–1948) Location: Kashmir |
Ceasefire
Casualties and losses
| ||
| Annexation of Junagadh (1948) Location: Junagadh |
Indian victory
Casualties and losses
| ||
| Annexation of Hyderabad (1948) Location: Hyderabad |
Indian victory
Casualties and losses
| ||
| Insurgency in Northeast India (1954-Present) Location(s): Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura |
Supported by: |
Separatist group(s) from Manipur: Separatist group(s) from Assam: Separatist group from Nagaland : Separatist group from Arunachal Pradesh: Trans-national separatist group: Former group(s)
Non-State Supporter: |
Ongoing
|
| Congo Crisis (1960-65) Location: Congo |
First Phase(1960–1963): Supported by:
Second Phase(1963–1965): Supported by:
|
First Phase(1960–1963): Supported by:
Second Phase(1963–1965): Simba rebels Kwilu rebels Supported by: |
Victory
|
| Annexation of Goa (1961) Location(s): Portuguese India(Goa, Daman and Diu) Arabian Sea |
Victory
Casualties and losses
| ||
| China-India War (1962) Location(s): Aksai Chin North-East Frontier Agency Assam |
Defeat | ||
| Indo-Pakistani War (1965) Location(s): |
Inconclusive
| ||
| Naxalite–Maoist insurgency (1967-Present) Location: India |
Supported by: (until 2011) |
Former group(s)
|
Victory[12][13]
|
| Nathu La and Cho La Conflict (1967) Location: Sikkim |
Victory
| ||
| 1971 JVP insurrection (1971) Location: Ceylon |
Supported by: |
Supported by:
Diplomatic support: |
Victory
|
| Indo-Pakistani War (1971) part of the Bangladesh Liberation War Location(s): East Pakistan, Bay of Bangal Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujrat, Arabian Sea |
Supported by: |
Supported by: |
Victory
|
| Siachen conflict (1984-2003) Location: Siachen Glacier |
Victory
| ||
| Insurgency in Punjab (1984-1995) Location: Punjab |
|
Victory
| |
| The Second JVP insurrection (1987-89) Location: Sri Lanka |
Victory
| ||
| Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War (1987-1990) Location: Sri Lanka |
Ceasefire
| ||
| Maldivian Anti-Coup Mission (1988) Location: Maldives |
Victory
| ||
| Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir (1989-Present) Location: Jammu and Kashmir |
Supported by: |
Ongoing
| |
| United Nations Operation in Somalia II (1993–1995) The part of Somali Civil War Location: |
|
UNOSOM II failure | |
| Kargil War (1999) Location(s): Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir |
|
Indian victory
| |
| Operation Ocean Shield (2009-2016) Location(s): Indian Ocean, Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel, Arabian Sea, Red Sea |
Non-NATO: Others |
Somali pirates |
Allied victory |
| China–India skirmishes (2020-21) Location: Ladakh |
Stalemate
| ||
| India-Pakistan conflict (2025) Location(s): India, Pakistan |
Ceasefire |