archy correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the Indian army have Ghurka units as well. I have several Indian Army issued Ghurka blades that came with a shop drawing copy that indicated such.
They certainly do, though more frequently spelled as *Gorkhas* in translations of articles there. It seems a few of those working for India got into a little trouble last month.
Nepali Gurkhas are inducted in the Indian Army in accordance with a tripartite understanding reached between India, Nepal and the UK in November 9, 1947; The Agreement specifically notes that the Gurkha troops would not be treated as mercenaries. Paragraph 1 of Annexure III to the Agreement states, "In all matters of promotion, welfare and other facilities, the Gurkha troops should be treated on the same footing as other units in the parent army so that the stigma of mercenary troops may for all times be wiped out. These troops should be treated as a link between two friendly countries."
Nothing in the Tripartite Agreement prohibits the deployment of Nepali Gorkhas serving in the Indian Army in the Kargil operations against intruders from Pakistan.
Only restrictions on the use of Nepali Gurkhas are to be found in Annexure III to the Agreement are Paragraph 3 and 4. Which state that "The Gurkha troops should not be used against Hindu or any other un-armed mobs" and "To avoid any clash between the Gurkhas themselves, Gurkha troops should not be used if any contingency of their having to serve in opposite camps arises." Both the situations were not found in Kargil.
As the Indian Army was engaged in throwing out intruders from Pakistan, who consist of Pakistan Army regulars and assorted armed militants and mercenaries, including Afgan Mujahideens. Due to international pressure, they were asked by the Pakistani PM to return and Indian army allowed the safe passage to them.
It is also noteworthy that many Bhutanese from Nepali speaking Lhotshampa and Sharchhop communities, also serve in the Indian army. According to a reliable source, only one battalion, viz., the first Battalion of the 11th Gorkha Regiment, has been deployed in Kargil so far. Kargil conflict took 389 lives of Indian army. Out of which was a Nepali national, viz., Ram Kumar Pradhan. And one out of 389 is clearly not a case of Nepali Gorkhas being used as cannon fodder in Kargil. Reportedly, not more than seven-eight hundred Gorkha Regiment personnel are serving in the Kargil area at present. In a war-like situation some soldiers were bound to be martyred. GAESO Chairman Maj. Deepak Gurung was recently quoted in this paper saying that "it is the duty and dharma of a soldier to go to war", and that is the motto of a soldier.
Unlike the British Gurkhas, the salary and other benefits received by Gorkhas from Nepal in the Indian Army are the same as provided to their Indian counterparts. Many Indian Gurkha ex-servicemen living in Pokhara and Jhapa in Nepal and from Bhutan, admit this. They receive exactly identical extended facilities received by Indian soldiers. The ex-servicemen of Indian Army living in Nepal are provided welfare support comparable to what is available to their Indian counterparts. According to the same source, the Gorkhas in the Indian Army (in bulk) receive approximately Rs. 6 billion (600 crores) per annum as salary. A large proportion of this amount is repatriated into Nepal as the serving soldiers are provided free ration, accommodation, medical benefits, educational facilities, etc. Indian Army disburses Rs. 4800 million as pension to 0.103 million ex-servicemen living in Nepal every year. The direct benefits received by the Nepali nationals in the Indian Army and ex-servicemen living in Nepal exceed Rs. 10 billion million (10 arba) per annum. This amount is more than the total foreign grants of Rs. 7,770 million received by Nepalese Government in 1998-99 as budgetary support.