From the late nineteenth century, the Martial Race theory shaped the recruitment policy. It outlined that some Indian men, because of their 'caste' or ethnic group affiliations, were more 'suitable' soldiers and should be targeted for recruitment. Within the British Indian Army, the 'martial' groups included Gurkhas (mostly from Nepal) and Sikhs and Muslims from Punjab.

With certain modifications, this theory remained operational to the first decade of the twentieth century. The construction of the 'martial races' enabled the British to play-off different communities against each other to prevent the emergence of a unified anti-British sentiment among the colonised.

A detailed review of the Native Army intended to give the raw British officer an indication of the fighting material and capabilities of the Indian Army after the Presidency armies were abolished in 1895. The races discussed in the book are: Pathans, Baluchis, Punjabi Mahomedans, Sikhs, Gurkhas, Dogras, Jats, Aboriginal Tribes, Garhwalis, Hindustani Mahomedans, Rajputs, Mahrattas, Fighting race of South India and Miscellaneous Tribes. This is the standard work on the subject containing much of value on the so-called martial races.