The United Service Institution of India was founded in 1870 by a soldier scholar, Colonel (later Major General) Sir Charles MacGregor. The story of its growth is the story of the growth of the Indian Armed Forces. It was founded for ‘furtherance of interest and knowledge in the art, science and literature of the Defence Services.’

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United Service Institution of India

UNITED SERVICE INSTITUTION OF INDIA

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Message from the Director, Centre for Military History and Conflict Studies

Dear Members,
It gives me great pleasure  to introduce the  Centre for Military History and Conflict Studies (CMHCS), established in  December 2000 under  the aegis of the United Service Institution of India (USI). The Centre was created at the behest of the three Service Headquarters to promote the objective study of all facets of national and international conflicts and military history, with a special focus on the rich legacy of the Indian Armed Forces. It was instituted as the Centre for Armed Forces and Historical Research (CAFHR), but expanded the ambit of its activities to become the CMHCS in Jan 2020.
The CMHCS  aims to  encourage in-depth  research into  various  aspects of the  Indian Armed Forces,  including strategic,  tactical,  logistical,  and organisational policies, as well as socio-economic factors and their implementation. Our objectives are deeply rooted in preserving, researching and recording, and India’s military history and heritage and posterity.

Key initiatives of the Centre include:

  • Awarding Research Fellowships to encourage scholarly work in military history.
  • Establishing a full-fledged oral archive to preserve firsthand accounts of military experiences.
  • To emphasise the importance of military records and assist in their preservation by developing an integrated record management policy for the Indian Defence Establishment.
  • Maintaining a digital archive of historical records.
  • Advocating for the inclusion of USI-CMHCS expertise in the preparation of official histories by the Ministry of Defence, History Division, to ensure accurate military insights.
  • Promoting the Battlefield Studies/Staff Ride concept to derive lessons from past operations, not only by highlighting successful strategies but also by learning from what went wrong.
  • Creating a Forum for individuals interested in Indian military history to exchange views and ideas informally.
  • Organising seminars and consultations to encourage the study of military history across military and broader academic circles, and offering research assistance to agencies interested in Indian military history themes.
  • Work with MES on significant Public Diplomacy initiatives in friendly foreign countries.

At CMHCS, we are committed to preserving the legacy  of the Indian Armed Forces  and  fostering a deeper understanding of military history and conflict studies. Through our research, archives, and collaborative efforts, we aim to bridge the past and present, providing valuable insights for strategic thinking and policy formulation.
Together, let us continue to honour and explore the rich military heritage of India in all its myriad forms.


With best wishes,
Sqd. Ldr RTS Chinna (Retd)
Director
Centre for Military History and Conflict Studies