The Nilgiri Malabar Battalion (NMB) was an Auxiliary Force (India) (AFI) of the British Colonial Auxiliary Forces of the British Indian Army, composed of Eurasians/Anglo-Indians. Enrollment in the Auxiliary Force was open to all European British subjects and to persons of European descent. After the Mutiny of 1857, a Volunteer Force was created, whose primary function was to protect British families in India. The Volunteer Force units were later absorbed into the Auxiliary Force India (AFI), which was created in 1920 for internal security duties.Its terms of service were similar to the Territorial Army of the UK. The AFI, which provided officers to the Army during World War II, was disbanded in 1947.