Editing United Hindu Collective

{{InfoBoxState
| image = hindu_flag.jpg
| Founded = mid-2200s
| Dissolved = [[2540]]
| capital = [[Basantapur]]<ref name=HB:HDp145>''Handbook: House Davion'', p. 145</ref>
| systems = 17<ref name=HB:HDp145/>
| population = 
| currency = 
| language = 
| demonym = 
| Head of State = [[Maharaja of the United Hindu Collective|Maharaja]]
| cintel = 
| army = [[Messengers of Shiva]]
| navy = 
| mintel = 
}}
The '''United Hindu Collective''' was a minor nation of the [[Inner Sphere]] and existed for almost three centuries (from the mid-2200s until 2540) before eventually joining the [[Federated Suns]]. The UHC was notable for prospering as a democratic and peaceful society in an age of war and increasing neo-feudalism.<ref name=HKSB>''Era Digest: Age of War'', p. 8, "The United Hindu Collective"</ref> Most notably, the UHC was one of only two participants in the [[Ares Convention]] conference to refuse to sign the resulting accords (the other state to refuse was the [[Taurian Concordat]]). The UHC warned that, rather than reducing conflict, the conventions would legitimize warfare as a way to settle disputes, which turned out to be exactly what occurred.<ref name=EDAOW_5>''Era Digest: Age of War'', p. 5 (p. 7 PDF)</ref>

==History==
The Collective was founded by settlers from Southeast Asia, especially India, during the first Terran Exodus. Wary of staying too close to [[Terra]], the founders explored rimwards and eventually discovered the hospitable "garden worlds" of [[Basantapur]], [[Panpour]] and [[As Samik]]. Initially close ties to Terran India loosened over time due to the different needs, growing economic strength of the UHC and the sheer distances involved. In [[2315]] the Collective formally severed its ties with India, instead forming a strong economic partnership with its direct neighbor, the [[Federated Suns]]. The UHC's strong industrial and agricultural base helped supply the Suns' outer regions in return for trade benefits and deterrent against the other neighbor, the [[Taurian Concordat]].<ref name=HKSB/>

===Basantapur Treaty===
The UHC prospered and expanded to seventeen worlds by [[2534]], remaining politically neutral and staying out of the wars that raged across the Inner Sphere. When the [[Davion Civil War]] ended in [[2540]], First Prince [[Alexander Davion]] suggested even closer ties between the two nations. After a popular vote in the UHC showed enthusiastic support for the idea, the First Prince and ''Maharaja'' [[Sadhvi Garg]] signed the Basantapur Treaty in 2540, making the Collective a semi-autonomous member of the Suns. The union proved mutually beneficial, and political and economic cooperation continued to grow until by the start of the [[First Succession War]] the former UHC worlds were fully integrated into the [[Federated Suns]].<ref name=HKSB/>

==Government and Society==
The Collective was a true federal democracy with a bicameral congress and a directly elected president who bore the title of ''Maharaja''. Its founding charter guaranteed full equality for all citizens. These strong democratic traditions survived into modern times where many former Collective planets still feature democratic local governments. The predominant ethnicity were Hindu Indians, however other groups such as Sikhs, Christians, Muslims and Jain were also part of the UHC. The union with the Federated Suns led to an increase in ethnic and religious diversity that in some cases led to the renaming of entire worlds such as Jodipur becoming [[Neukirchen]].<ref name=HKSB/>

==Military==
The UHC featured a strong defensive army for its size, with one full mechanized regiment on each member world. In [[2480]], the acquisition of obsolete [[AFFS]] equipment allowed the creation of a mixed [[BattleMech]]/[[Aerospace]] regiment dubbed the ''[[Messengers of Shiva]]''. This unit rotated through the Collective as rapid response force. Its only major engagement was in [[2535]] when the Varnay faction of the [[Davion Civil War]] passed through the region raiding UHC worlds. The ''Messengers of Shiva'' engaged and defeated the invaders on [[Jodipur]], humiliating their better-equipped opponents due to superior training and tactics. After the Collective formally joined the Federated Suns, the Messengers were absorbed intact into the AFFS to eventually become the [[Islamabad Crucis March Militia]].<ref name=HKSB/> <ref name=FMFS-115>''Field Manual: Federated Suns'', p. 115 "AFFC Rosters - AFFC March Militia - Crucis March Militia - Islamabad Crucis March Militia"</ref>

The Collective also featured a navy, though it did not operate any [[WarShips]]. Several of its [[JumpShips]] survived for centuries in Davion service, with one ship, the ''[[Rama Sita]]'' even reaching [[Huntress]] while partaking in [[Operation BULLDOG]].<ref name=HKSB/>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
uhc_map.jpg|Map of the United Hindu Collective in 2540
United Hindu Collective Military logo.png|Insignia of the United Hindu Collective military
Messengers of Shiva logo.png|Unit Logo of the Messengers of Shiva
</gallery>

== Notes ==
The description of the United Hindu Collective in ''[[Era Digest: Age of War]]'' includes three non-map images - a flag, and two insignia. The provenance of the two insignia was confirmed on the official forums:

{{Quote|The Flag is the flag of the UHC. The sword-in-disc is the military insignia. The trident-over-crescent-moon is the Messengers of Shiva.|[http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,6683.msg150587.html#msg150587 Adrian Gideon, CGL Art Direction, Design & Production, 06 June 2011]}}

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Era Digest: Age of War]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Federated Suns]]''
* ''[[Handbook: House Davion]]''

[[Category:Nation States]]