The Indian Army has deep historical roots in the region now known as Tamil Nadu, primarily through the Madras Regiment, which is the oldest infantry regiment of the Indian Army. Originating in the 1750s as units of the British East India Company, the regiment saw its first major action in the First Carnatic War and was formally raised by Major Stringer Lawrence in 1758.
Tamil Nadu was a significant contributor to India's struggle for independence and military history. Tamils formed a substantial portion of the Indian National Army (INA), founded by Subhas Chandra Bose, including the prominent Rani of Jhansi Regiment led by Lakshmi Sahgal. Post-independence, the Madras Regiment continued to recruit heavily from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, participating in major conflicts such as the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak Wars, the 1962 Sino-Indian Conflict, and the Indian Peacekeeping Force (IPKF) mission in Sri Lanka from 1987 to 1990
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