Green on Blue: causes and responses (merged thread)

[Ray]

What's the share of Muslims in the Indian army?

Their main threat is Muslim Pakistan, so Muslim units would probably be ill-motivated while mixed troops would be not very cohesive.

The border with China could be guarded by Muslim Indian army troops, but said border is mountainous just as the critical sections of the border with Pakistan.


Furthermore, "'Muslim' customs barely exist at all. What people perceive as 'Muslim' customs are usually regional / ethnical customs whose more oppressive parts are being 'justified' by reference to religion.

Lots of people in Africa believe you need to cut off genitals from girls because of Muslim faith or they need to hide their faces when neither is true. Ironically, there's often a neighbouring ethnic with the same religion and different if not mirrored customs. Some tribes for example think that covering the face is a male privilege (IIRC the Imuhagh aka Touaregs).


Besides, what would protect our occupation troops from the Muslim Indian sensibilities if the custom incompatibility was really about spiritual issues?

There are units that are totally Muslim in the Indian Army as in the Grenadiers and Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry.

There are many Muslim who have won the highest gallantry awards of the Indian Army.

The Muslims of the Indian Army are as good as any other.

In the Indian Army, the tradition is that all adhere to the religion and customs of the troops. Hence, it is not surprising to see non Muslim officers of a Muslim unit undertaking Ramzan and being on a fast and anyway, all have to attend the Mosque prayers.

Likewise, I was in a 90% Buddhist unit and underwent all Buddhist religious customs and festivals since it was the majority religion.

In the Indian Army where there is a mixed religious composition, we have an All Faith Temple.

It was no big deal!

And anyway, religion is the last thing on the mind when performing our duties!