Nowadays the media is full of the news of the private army known as the Wagner Group which almost pulled off a coup in Russia. But in India we are no strangers to the concept of private armies. India was conquered and overrun by the largest and most successful private army ever assembled, namely the East India Company’s troops.
The East India Company seized control over vast tracts of the Indian subcontinent, parts of South East Asia and also Hong Kong. When it was at its peak, the company was the largest corporation in the world and had its own armed forces. Author William Dalrymple has written that the EIC had under its command, three Presidency Armies totalling about 260,000 soldiers, which was twice the size of the British army of the time.
The EIC’s army was involved in wars to extend the company’s control in India and also Burma, Afghanistan, and Abyssinia. Many officers of the EIC Army became de facto rulers of vast areas. The power they wielded was immense and many of these officers used that power to illegally acquire wealth for themselves.
The concept of private armies goes a long way back in history. In ancient Rome there was a unit known as the Praetorian Guard. It was an elite unit of the Imperial Roman army that served as the personal bodyguards of the Roman Emperors but also was involved in spying and blackmailing on behalf of their masters.
For three hundred years, the Praetorian Guards were notorious for their conspiracies. The Praetorians sometimes dethroned emperors. When it became too much to bear, Emperor Constantine disbanded the Guards and destroyed their barracks in 312 AD. Thereafter their influence on Roman politics nosedived.
In Turkey, the Ottoman Empire had a group called the Bashi-Bazouks. They were irregular soldiers of the Ottoman army and had a reputation for bravery. But they were also notorious for looting and preying on civilians. This used to happen because they were poorly supervised and often had to earn whatever they could by themselves.
In the course of history, private armies rose and disappeared in Germany, Chechnya, China, Scotland and many other places. In South America, the deadly drug cartels have their own private armies. Many of these personnel are well armed and well paid gangsters.
In modern times, the USA has several such private army contractors. One of them is now called Academi. It was earlier known as Blackwater Company. It was started by a former US Navy SEAL officer named Erik Prince.
In 2007, Blackwater became notorious throughout the world when it shot dead 17 Iraqi civilians and injured 20 in Baghdad. The killers were convicted in the United States but later pardoned by President Donald Trump. Had they belonged to any other country, the USA would have been the first to brand them as terrorists.
Four years ago, an article published by the National Defence University, based in Washington DC stated: “Mercenaries are more powerful than experts realize. Private militaries such as the Wagner Group are more heavily armed than the US Marine Corps. Their employees are recruited from different countries, and profitability is everything.”
Since the ‘War on Terror’ began in 2001, billions of dollars have been made by men who organised private military and companies. Despite the size of this industry, the entire business is very secretive. Men trained in subterfuge and counter-intelligence dominate this field. This industry operates from the shadows. In Iraq, mercenary soldiers created havoc among the civilian population.
Britain leads the world in providing armed contractors to ‘hot spots’ around the world. Some of their biggest clients are governments. Since 2004, the British government has spent 50 million pounds every year on mercenaries. The soldiers at the lowest level earn up to 10,000 dollars per month.
In short, the ownership and organisation of private armies have become a very profitable business. So, we may see more operations similar to Wagner Group’s onslaught in the future, perhaps even in India.
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