Gurkha word itself derived from "Go-Raksha" (), "raksha" becoming "rakha" (रखा). "Rakhawala" means "protector" and is derived from "raksha" as well. There are Gurkha military units in the Nepalese, British and Indian armies enlisted in Nepal, United Kingdom and India. Although they meet many of the requirements of Article 47 of Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions regarding mercenaries, they are exempt under clauses similarly to the French Foreign Legion. Gurkhas are closely associated with the khukuri, a forward-curving Nepali knife, and have a reputation for fearless military prowess. Former Indian Army Chief of Staff Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw once stated
Fighting knife Fighting knife A fighting knife is a knife with a blade designed to inflict a lethal injury in a physical confrontation between two or more individuals at very short range (grappling distance). The combat knife and the trench knife are examples of military fighting knives. Fighting knives were traditionally designed as special-purpose weapons, intended primarily if not solely for use in personal or hand-to-hand combat. This singularity of purpose originally distinguished the fighting knife from the field knife, fighting utility knife, or in modern usage, the tactical knife. The tactical knife is a knife with one or more military features