The military administration of Maharaja Ranjit Singh encompassed two divisions of army. One was known as Fauj-i-Am or the regular army and the other was Fauj-i-be-Qawaid or the irregular force. The regular army was divided into three parts namely infantry, cavalry and artillery. The creation of the infantry was a gradual process. The Sikhs looked upon service as contempt and refused to join its ranks. Maharaja Ranjit Singh persisted in his efforts and ultimately succeeded in his mission. The result was that by 1818 the inhabitants of Punjab region began to dominate the infantry. In 1822, the Maharaja employed French officers for the training of his troops. At the centre Ranjit Singh had an efficient pay office for the army.

Fauj-i-Khas or French Legion was the model brigade of the Sikh army. It was raised in 1822 by General Ventura and Allard. Its normal strength was four battalions of infantry, two regiments of cavalry and one troop of artillery comprising 24 guns. Special efforts were made for its training, discipline and equipment. The infantry section of the Brigade consisted of the Khas battalion, a Gurkha battalion and two more commanded by Dewa Singh and Sham Sota. The Cavalry portion comprised a Khas regiment and a dragoon regiment. The artillery was known as the crops of General Ilahi Baksh. Fauj-i-be-Qawaid or the irregular army was composed chiefly of horsemen. They were divided into two sections namely the Ghorchara Khas and Misaldars. The former was a single organisation and was recruited from the landed gentry. Many members were relatives of the dignitaries of the court. They supplied their own equipment and were regularly paid at first in Jagirs but later on in cash. The Misaldars comprised all the petty chiefs who were deprived of their territories and were prepared to serve under Ranjit Singh at the head of respective bands of horsemen.

Enlistment in the army was voluntary and recruits were found in abundance. That was due to many causes. Many of the tribes inhabiting the Punjab province possessed martial tradition of a high order. A considerable social prestige was attached to the profession of arms. The personal attitude of Maharaja Ranjit Singh towards the fighting forces secured an abundant supply of men who sought military careers. Although the salaries were fixed on a monthly basis, in practice they were not paid regularly. The army remained in arrears on an average from four to six months and payments were made three or four times a year. That was partly due to the inefficiency of the pay department but also to a greater extent due to the deliberate policy on the part of the Maharaja who thereby checked the insubordination and desertion of his men.

The main drawback of the military administration of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was that the armed forces were considered primary agencies to fill the state treasury. This meant regular campaigning to keep it going. A separate department dealt with all matters relating to the army. Military chiefs who had rendered meritorious service were granted lands - jagirs over which they were allowed absolute authority. However, frequent inspections were held and muster rolls checked up. During one of these reviews Ranjit Singh found that General Hari Singh Nalwa`s battalions were below strength while he had been drawing full money for them. The Khalsa artillery was much organised and foundries were established at Lahore fort.

Ranjit Singh was greatly impressed by the performance of the armies of the East India Company. He acknowledged the value of regularly trained and disciplined troops. He then raised regular battalions on the foreign pattern. Three of these units had already been initiated in the European drill in 1807. Officers who had abandoned from the service of the British East India Company and fortune seekers from Europe were enlisted for this purpose. The change-over from an irregular force to well-disciplined and trained troops was not easy and Ranjit Singh had to be very firm to enforce the change. He himself took part in the drill and wore the foreign pattern of dress on such occasions. Ranjit Singh had in all about two dozen foreigners and Anglo-Indians in his service. Allard and Ventura the two Napoleonic veterans rose to higher commands under him. They were capable generals and in recognition of their services were also promoted as governors of provinces. These two were essentially gunners. Generals Court and Avitable came soon after and were given high commands. An Irishman named Gardner was responsible for improving the standard of the artillery to a great extent. Ranjit Singh`s own selected chiefs were equally capable.

The army of Ranjit Singh was a national army and all the soldiers identified themselves with the feelings and aspirations of the state. The Marathas on the other hand had a large number of mercenaries and soldiers from the north who did not have the same feeling of loyalty to their pay-masters and hence those reverses. Ranjit Singh had started enlisting the Gurkhas in 1816 while campaigning in the hills and he was the first to start their recruitment on a large scale. The hill-men made fine soldiers. A Sikh battalion during the rule of Ranjit Singh consisted of one thousand rank and files. During the latter part of Ranjit Singh`s reign it consisted of a Commandant and Adjutant, with subordinate officers to each company. The various army ranks of Ranjit Singh were commandant, mahzur, subedar, jamadar, havildar, naik, sarjan, phuriya and sepoy.

During the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the monthly payments were, however, not regular and at times were even due for five to six months at a time. This was another great drawback in the military administration. Regular monthly payments required an efficient revenue system backed by a good civilian administration for which Ranjit did not have enough time or energy to spare. This was the cause of disaffection at times. The easiest source of payment was a campaign in which large booty was captured for the state and men also enriched themselves to certain extent, though this practice was kept down with a strong hand. There was no system of regular pension but thirty-percent vacancies were reserved for members of the families of retiring soldiers. Lastly, movement of the army with all its cumbersome equipment was then most organised.