Under the Constitution of India, who holds the supreme command of the Indian Defence Forces?

Introduction / Context:
Civilian control over the armed forces is a fundamental principle of democratic governance. In India, the Constitution clearly specifies who holds the supreme command of the Defence Forces. Examinations frequently ask candidates to identify this constitutional authority, distinguishing between political heads of government, individual ministers and the head of the State.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The options include the Prime Minister of India, the Defence Minister of India, the Council of Ministers of India and the President of India.
- The question asks specifically about the supreme command of the Defence Forces, not about day to day management or policy making in defence matters.
- Article 53 of the Constitution is relevant to this subject.
- It is assumed that the student knows the basic difference between head of State and head of Government.

Concept / Approach:
Article 53 of the Constitution of India states that the executive power of the Union shall be vested in the President and shall be exercised by the President either directly or through officers subordinate to the President. It also states that the supreme command of the Defence Forces of the Union shall be vested in the President and shall be regulated by law. Thus, while the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister actually exercises effective control and policy direction, the formal and constitutional supreme command lies with the President. The approach is to recall this article and then choose the authority named there.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Prime Minister is the head of the Government and leads the Council of Ministers in exercising real executive power, but the Constitution does not describe the Prime Minister as holding the supreme command of the Defence Forces. Step 2: Note that the Defence Minister is a key member of the Cabinet responsible for defence policy and administration, but again is not described in the Constitution as holding the supreme command. Step 3: Remember that the Council of Ministers collectively aids and advises the President, but the constitutional phrase used is that the supreme command vests in the President, not in the Council of Ministers. Step 4: Article 53 explicitly states that the supreme command of the Defence Forces of the Union shall be vested in the President and shall be regulated by law. Step 5: Therefore, the correct answer is the President of India.

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification can be done by looking at any standard text on Indian Polity, which always notes that the President is the Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces. Ceremonial practices such as the President taking the salute at Republic Day parades also symbolically represent this role. By contrast, the Prime Minister and Defence Minister are described as exercising effective control over defence policy but not as holding the constitutional supreme command. This consistent usage confirms that the President is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A (Prime Minister of India) is wrong because, although the Prime Minister is the head of Government and plays a major role in defence matters, the Constitution does not vest the supreme command in the Prime Minister.
Option B (Defence Minister of India) is wrong because the Defence Minister is responsible for the Ministry of Defence and military policy but is not described in the Constitution as holding the supreme command of the Defence Forces.
Option C (Council of Ministers of India) is wrong because, while this body assists and advises the President, the supreme command is vested in the President individually, not in the Council as such.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to confuse actual day to day control with the formal constitutional position. Students may think of the Prime Minister or Defence Minister as being the top authority in defence matters and overlook the constitutional phrase supreme command. Another pitfall is to assume that the Council of Ministers collectively holds this role because it is the real executive, but the Constitution uses very specific language that mentions the President. Remembering the distinction between symbolic and formal constitutional roles on the one hand and practical political power on the other helps avoid these errors.

Final Answer:
The supreme command of the Indian Defence Forces is vested in the President of India.