The Indian Armed Forces are considered to be one of the largest active service forces in the world, with almost 1.42 million Active Standing Army. An additional 2.20 million reserve forces can be activated in a few weeks depending on the situation under the order of the President of India who is the Commander and Chief of the Armed Forces of India. This does not include the additional 1 million troops of the
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is an organization whose structure, tactics, training, subculture, and (often) function are similar to those of a professional military, but is not part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. Paramilitary units carr ...
who too are an active force whose full-time responsibility is to guard the sovereignty of the nation from internal and external threats.
Israel
In the
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...
, there are two types of active duty: regular service ( he, שרות סדיר}, Sherut Sadir), and active reserve duty ( he, שרות מילואים פעיל, Sherut Milu'im Pa'il, abbr. ''Shamap''). Regular service refers to either mandatory service ( he, שרות חובה, Sherut Hova), according to the laws of Israel, or
standing army
A standing army is a permanent, often professional, army. It is composed of full-time soldiers who may be either career soldiers or conscripts. It differs from army reserves, who are enrolled for the long term, but activated only during wars or n ...
service ( he, שרות קבע, Sherut Keva), which consists of paid NCOs and officers.
Active reserve service refers to the actual time in which reservists are called up. This varies from once every few years to a month every year. During active reserve duty, military law can be applied to reservists, similarly to regular soldiers.
Pakistan
The Pakistan Armed Forces are one of the largest active service forces in the world, with almost 654,000 full-time personnel, due to the complex and volatile nature of Pakistan's relationship with India and the Kashmir region, and its porous border with Afghanistan. An additional 550,000 part-time reservists can be activated in weeks depending on the situation, by order of the
President of Pakistan
The president of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=s̤adr-i Pākiṣṭān), officially the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is the ceremonial head of state of Pakistan and the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Armed Forces.Pakistan. This does not include the additional 385,000 troops of the Civil Armed Forces who are also active forces whose full-time responsibility is to guard the external borders.
United States
In the United States military, active duty refers to military members who are currently serving on full-time status in their military capacity. Full-time status is not limited to members of the active components of the military services; members of any of the three components (active, reserve, and the National Guard) may be placed into active status. All personnel in the active components are in active status. Reservists may be placed into active status as units or individuals. Units may be mobilized in support of operations, such as the reserve units that have been deployed in support of the
Global War on Terror
The war on terror, officially the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), is an ongoing international counterterrorism military campaign initiated by the United States following the September 11 attacks. The main targets of the campaign are militant I ...
or those called up within the United States to provide support to civil authorities. Individuals may be placed in active status as part of the
Active Guard Reserve
Active Guard Reserve (AGR) refers to a United States Army and United States Air Force federal military program which places Army National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers and Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve airmen on federal active duty st ...
program, as augmentees to active or reserve component units, or to attend full-time military training.