The 16th Light Cavalry is a regiment of the Armoured Corps, a primary combat arm of the Indian Army. Prior to India gaining independence from the British in 1947, it was a regular cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1776 and is the oldest armoured regiment raised in India. The 16th Light Cavalry saw service in a number of conflicts ranging from the Second Anglo-Mysore War in 1781 to World War II. It has a number of battle honours including "Punjab 1965" earned during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.

The regiment was raised prior to 1776 as the 3rd Regiment of Native Cavalry in the service of the Nawab of Arcot, Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah. In 1780, while under service with the British East India Company, it formed part of the force that defeated Hyder Ali during the Second Anglo-Mysore War and was awarded battle honours for the Battle of Sholinghur, Battle of Mysore, Battle of Carnatic and the Battle of Seringapatam for service during the Anglo-Mysore Wars. After the Anglo-Mysore Wars the regiment was next in action during the Third Anglo-Burmese War and were awarded the Battle Honour of Burma 1885-87.

During World War I (1914–1918) the regiment remained in India for the defence of the North West Frontier but they did send drafts to other Indian cavalry regiments serving in France and the Middle East. In 1919 the regiment was involved in the brief Third Afghan War, for which they were awarded the battle honour of Afghanistan 1919. In 1923, the regiment was selected for ‘Indianisation’, wherein British officers were finally replaced by Indian officers and this became one of the first Indian cavalry regiment to be officered by Indians.

In September 1939, when World War II broke out, the regiment was still mounted on horses. The process of mechanisation (converting from horses to armoured vehicles) began in Peshawar in October 1940 when the last mounted parade was held and the process completed in Quetta in 1941. From 1941 to 1945 the regiment was retained in India.

In 1945, they were selected to undertake operations in Burma. Within three weeks, the regiment covered a distance of 3,500 miles from Quetta to the banks of Irrawaddy River and was personally complimented by General Slim, the Fourteenth Army commander.

In Burma the regiment were controlled directly by the 14th Army and were also attached to the 255th Indian Tank Brigade, the brigade formation was;

In 1947, it was one of the regiments retained by India upon partition.

During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, the regiment was part of the 1 Armoured Brigade and took part in the Battle of Phillora and Battle of Gadgor. In a major tank battle fought at Gadgor on 8 September, and a subsequent engagement at Alhar Railway Station, they destroyed 16 Patton Tanks of the enemy, against a loss of 6 tanks of their own. 2 officers, 1 JCO and 14 other ranks of the unit were killed in these actions and many wounded. The regiment won the Theatre Honour 'PUNJAB 1965'. The gallantry awards won by its officers and men comprised 1 Vir Chakra, 1 Sena Medal, 8 Mention-in-Dispatches and 3 Commendation Cards from the Chief of Army Staff.