British Army considers proposals to create a Sikh regiment

[Abingdonboy]

That is foolish and dangerous. I don't think the Brits are that dumb.

It only makes sense when you want others to join your army and die for your cause.

It seems odd I agree, I guess the top levels in the British army still cling to the Empirical mindset and perhaps even the martial races theory.

Maybe they think a bunch of Sikhs losing their lives in combat won't be taken as badly by the British public as a bunch of "local" lads.

Me likes the idea, why can't we have one in PA?

@Hyperion @Irfan Baloch

Would you have enough Sikhs to form an entire regiment? Serious question, other than a few token officers there doesn't seem to many of them in uniform.

 

[MokshaVimukthi]

It seems odd I agree, I guess the top levels in the British army still cling to the Empirical mindset and perhaps even the martial races theory.

Maybe they think a bunch of Sikhs losing their lives in combat won't be taken as badly by the British public as a bunch of "local" lads.

Which is why I suspect this might be for non Brits while dangling the emigration carrot in front of them. No doubt it will also have a few Brit sikhs like their Gurkha regiment.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Which is why I suspect this might be for non Brits while dangling the emigration carrot in front of them. No doubt it will also have a few Brit sikhs like their Gurkha regiment.

Nope, I've heard about this for a long time it is 100% for British Sikhs, no way will it be for Indian citizens for a number of reasons. A) the Gurkha regiment concept is already under scrutiny here, it may even be got rid of all together. B) The British army has been badly burnt by the Gurkha regiment vis a vis pensions, visas, right to live in the UK and such so they are not going down that road again C) the Indian government would never allow it, the Gurkhas are a special pre-partition relic and you couldn't create such an arrangement in the modern day.

To be honest this is unlikely to ever happen, the British Army is being cut on all accounts so it isn't exactly looking to raise new units.

 

[Irfan Baloch]

Me likes the idea, why can't we have one in PA?

@Hyperion @Irfan Baloch

maybe start a platoon as a sign of solidarity
Sikhs have had a tough time since the Taliban came over so their population needs some assurance and inclusion and military service is one of the best examples used over the ages in different parts of the world

Nope, I've heard about this for a long time it is 100% for British Sikhs, no way will it be for Indian citizens for a number of reasons. A) the Gurkha regiment concept is already under scrutiny here, it may even be got rid of all together. B) The British army has been badly burnt by the Gurkha regiment vis a vis pensions, visas, right to live in the UK and such so they are not going down that road again C) the Indian government would never allow it, the Gurkhas are a special pre-partition relic and you couldn't create such an arrangement in the modern day.

To be honest this is unlikely to ever happen, the British Army is being cut on all accounts so it isn't exactly looking to raise new units.

exactly my thinking
looks like this idea came out of the arse of someone who is clueless
the way Gurkhas are being discarded is disgusting at least the mocked French dealt with their Foreign legion soldiers better by giving them citizenship.

 

[jhungary]

There was Ghrkhas regiment within the Royal Army based in Hong Kong before 1997, now they are naturalized HKSAR citizens living and working there like other ethnic minorities, and UK did not grant them citizenship.

no, that was Royal Auxillery Corp, not the British Army troop (By the way Royal Army does not exist)

RAC soldier is Hong Kong Citizen serving in British Unit, the Brits gave them a choice to relocate them back to britain or stay behind, those who continue their service in British Army would eventually get British Citizenship while those stayed would effectively disband and discharged.

There were also TA troop that stationed in Hong Kong that was entirely British. They can naturalize in Hong Kong if they have any kind of sponsorship, but it would then be the same as any Brits wanting to immigrate to Hong Kong

Nope, I've heard about this for a long time it is 100% for British Sikhs, no way will it be for Indian citizens for a number of reasons. A) the Gurkha regiment concept is already under scrutiny here, it may even be got rid of all together. B) The British army has been badly burnt by the Gurkha regiment vis a vis pensions, visas, right to live in the UK and such so they are not going down that road again C) the Indian government would never allow it, the Gurkhas are a special pre-partition relic and you couldn't create such an arrangement in the modern day.

To be honest this is unlikely to ever happen, the British Army is being cut on all accounts so it isn't exactly looking to raise new units.

If I remember correctly, all commonwealth Citizen can join British Governmental service (Armed Force included) without getting British Citizenship nor even ILR.

I know a few Aussie joined British Army (One killed in Afghanistan sadly) that they do not have British residence to begin with.

What I hear is they will give you ILR when you enlist and Citizenship is conferred after 5 years of service

 

[Abingdonboy]

If I remember correctly, all commonwealth Citizen can join British Governmental service (Armed Force included) without getting British Citizenship nor even ILR.

I know a few Aussie joined British Army (One killed in Afghanistan sadly) that they do not have British residence to begin with.

What I hear is they will give you ILR when you enlist and Citizenship is conferred after 5 years of service

It varies on a nation by nation basis, what you have said is true for Canada, NZ, Australia and a few of the Caribbean territories but India, Pakistan and BD don't have such arrangements in place mostly due to the anti-Colonial baggage. India is fiercely protective of its sovereignty and simply wouldn't allow its citizens to go and join the British (or any other) military.

I don't think the day is too far when India withdraws from the Commonwealth altogether.

 

[jhungary]

It varies on a nation by nation basis, what you have said is true for Canada, NZ, Australia and a few of the Caribbean territories but India, Pakistan and BD don't have such arrangements in place mostly due to the anti-Colonial baggage. India is fiercely protective of its sovereignty and simply wouldn't allow its citizens to go and join the British (or any other) military.

I don't think the day is too far when India withdraws from the Commonwealth altogether.

hmm, i read somewhere that South Africa also is a commonwealth nation, but they qould actually prosecute their citizen that join a foreign armed force, so even on paper they are allow to join the British armed force in Britain, they would be arrested on return to South Africa and effectively banished by South African government

 

[Abingdonboy]

hmm, i read somewhere that South Africa also is a commonwealth nation, but they qould actually prosecute their citizen that join a foreign armed force, so even on paper they are allow to join the British armed force in Britain, they would be arrested on return to South Africa and effectively banished by South African government

Exactly what I mean0 it varies country to country. You will see the likes of Aussies, New Zealanders and Canadians being free to join the British army because, for them colonial rule was pleasant(excluding the Carribeans who do it for mostly economic reasons) and thus they are pretty pleased to be part of the Commonwealth- they even have the Queen as their official head of state and in some cases (NZ, Australia, Fiji) they have the British flag as part of their flag.

But for the ruled (India, Pakistan, BD, South Africa etc) things are different in terms of perspective and thus there isn't the same acceptance of their citizens going to join the British military. These nations try to, understandably, distance themselves from their colonial past as much as possible and wouldn't permit their citizens to go join a foreign military.


+ interesting point you make about S.Africa though considering they must be one of the leading suppliers of PMCs in the world.

 

[jhungary]

Exactly what I mean0 it varies country to country. You will see the likes of Aussies, New Zealanders and Canadians being free to join the British army because, for them colonial rule was pleasant(excluding the Carribeans who do it for mostly economic reasons) and thus they are pretty pleased to be part of the Commonwealth- they even have the Queen as their official head of state and in some cases (NZ, Australia, Fiji) they have the British flag as part of their flag.

But for the ruled (India, Pakistan, BD, South Africa etc) things are different in terms of perspective and thus there isn't the same acceptance of their citizens going to join the British military. These nations try to, understandably, distance themselves from their colonial past as much as possible and wouldn't permit their citizens to go join a foreign military.


+ interesting point you make about S.Africa though considering they must be one of the leading suppliers of PMCs in the world.

lol. I never know that colonial mentality in S Asia, in Uong Kong, not so much hate toward the Brits even those they ripped of almost all of the money in the government before the handover....Cause they hated the Chinese government more....

For the PMC and mercenary...SA is one of the leading country (Not the leader) in PMC, US is the leader in PMC business, then French, then UK and SA, and nepal.

But then figiting with PMC is not exactly the same as fighting for some country ss mercanary, you enjoy limited protection by the genva convention, none when you are a mercenary...

 

[Schutz]

There was Ghrkhas regiment within the Royal Army based in Hong Kong before 1997, now they are naturalized HKSAR citizens living and working there like other ethnic minorities, and UK did not grant them citizenship.

Plenty of Nepalese here, I dont really see whats the issue with people who had probably been living in HK years prior to unification remaining there and not travelling thousands of miles to relocate?

 

[Shotgunner51]

no, that was Royal Auxillery Corp, not the British Army troop (By the way Royal Army does not exist)

RAC soldier is Hong Kong Citizen serving in British Unit, the Brits gave them a choice to relocate them back to britain or stay behind, those who continue their service in British Army would eventually get British Citizenship while those stayed would effectively disband and discharged.

There were also TA troop that stationed in Hong Kong that was entirely British. They can naturalize in Hong Kong if they have any kind of sponsorship, but it would then be the same as any Brits wanting to immigrate to Hong Kong

Thanks for correcting dude, I was unaware of that.

Plenty of Nepalese here, I dont really see whats the issue with people who had probably been living in HK years prior to unification remaining there and not travelling thousands of miles to relocate?

Oh don't get me wrong, from China's POV, they are most welcome to be naturalized in HK just like other ethnic minorities, and that's written in HK's Basic Law (constitution).

I just thought Britain didn't offer them a choice after servicing in the British Army, but as @jhungary has said, that was not the case.