BNS Section 153: Waging war against Government of any foreign State at peace with Government of India (formerly IPC 125)
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · in force from 1 July 2024
BNS 153: Waging war against Government of any foreign State at peace with Government of India
From 1 July 2024
Whoever wages war against the Government of any foreign State at peace with the Government of India or attempts to wage such war, or abets the waging of such war, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, to which fine may be added, or with fine.
What it replaced in the IPC
BNS 153 ← IPC 125 · Waging war against any Asiatic Power in alliance with the Government of IndiaChanged
BPR&D's comparison records a change. Read what changed before relying on the old wording.
What changed, per BPR&D: Words “any Asiatic power in alliance” are replaced by “Government of any foreign State at peace”.
Printed in both official correspondence tables (BPR&D and NCRB).
Whoever wages war against the Government of any Asiatic Power in alliance or at peace with the [Government of India] or attempts to wage such war, or abets the waging of such war, shall be punished with [imprisonment for life], to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, to which fine may be added, or with fine.
Which one applies
An offence is governed by the law in force when it was committed. An offence committed before 1 July 2024 is charged and punished under the IPC; one committed on or after that date, under the BNS. Section 358 of the BNS, which repeals the IPC, preserves every liability and proceeding already incurred under it.
Read BNS section 358 →Judgments decided under IPC 125
They remain the law on IPC 125. Where the provision changed in the move, read what changed before relying on one for an offence after 1 July 2024.
Sources
- Correspondence Table and Comparison Summary of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 to the Indian Penal Code, 1860, Bureau of Police Research & Development, Ministry of Home Affairs, page 18.
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023: bare Act with Corresponding Section Table, National Crime Records Bureau (Sankalan), page 41.
- The Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Act 45 of 1860), as amended, India Code, Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice.
BPR&D is the Bureau of Police Research & Development (Ministry of Home Affairs); NCRB the National Crime Records Bureau. Their correspondence tables are training aids, not law. This page is general information, not legal advice on any case; the bare Acts as published by the Government of India are the authority.