Introduction

Carl Von Clausewitz in his On War emphasizes the centrality of battles and campaigns in the military sphere by arguing that the two are like gold and silver in commercial transactions. But, without the varied types of logistical duties carried out by a host of non-combat personnel, combat is just not possible. No army could move and fight without the aid of non-combatants. Even foreign occupying armies (those of the Ghorids, Ghaznavids and later the British) had to depend on the indigenous manpower for supply, transport and manufacture of weapons. About the ancient and medieval periods, our data is very scarce. However, the British kept detailed notes about the various types of non-combatants recruited by the Army in India. For the postcolonial period, the government publishes selected data. However, before I consider this period, it would be helpful to consider the scenario during the dawn of civilization.

Ancient Period

Between the collapse of the Indus Valley Civilization (1200 bc) and the Later Vedic Age (300 bc), chariots were the principal strike force of the Indian armies. Specialized carpenters known as rathakaras (makers of rathas/chariots) were in charge of manufacturing and repairing the chariots. Another type of specialized artisan associated with manufacture of chariots was the rbhus. These artisans were praised for manufacturing scythe chariots. During the fourth and third centuries bc, a combined arm unit of the ancient Chinese army composed of a chariot, three chariot crews, seventy-two infantry accompanied by a baggage wagon and twenty-five grooms, cooks and servants.