Martial Race Theory and Colonial Military Recruitment: Constructing Racial Hierarchies in British India

The British colonial administration constructed the martial race theory to selectively recruit soldiers based on racial, ethnic and geographical criteria. This paper examines how colonial discourse shaped the classifications of Indian communities into martial and non-martial groups, favouring Sikhs, Gurkhas and Pathans while marginalising high caste Hindu and Dalits. Using recruitment handbooks, administrative policies and military reports, the study highlights the racialised logic behind the British military enlistment practices. The shift in recruitment post-1857, particularly the Peel and Eden Commissions’ role in reinforcing ethnic segregation, demonstrates how these policies were aimed at dividing Indian society and ensuring imperial stability. Furthermore, the paper explores how martial race ideology was codified through colonial ethnographies, handbooks, and regimental structures. This study argues that martial race theory was not merely a military necessity but a colonial tool of governance, reinforcing racial hierarchies that persisted even in post-colonial India.