diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/XPackClient.java b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/XPackClient.java
index 77f511ba4d0..da879e87c54 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/XPackClient.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/XPackClient.java
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import org.elasticsearch.protocol.xpack.XPackInfoRequest;
 import org.elasticsearch.protocol.xpack.XPackInfoResponse;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.action.XPackInfoAction;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.action.XPackInfoRequestBuilder;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.indexlifecycle.client.ILMClient;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.client.MachineLearningClient;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.monitoring.client.MonitoringClient;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.security.client.SecurityClient;
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ public class XPackClient {
     private final SecurityClient securityClient;
     private final WatcherClient watcherClient;
     private final MachineLearningClient machineLearning;
+    private final ILMClient ilmClient;
 
     public XPackClient(Client client) {
         this.client = client;
@@ -41,6 +43,7 @@ public class XPackClient {
         this.securityClient = new SecurityClient(client);
         this.watcherClient = new WatcherClient(client);
         this.machineLearning = new MachineLearningClient(client);
+        this.ilmClient = new ILMClient(client);
     }
 
     public Client es() {
@@ -67,6 +70,10 @@ public class XPackClient {
         return machineLearning;
     }
 
+    public ILMClient ilmClient() {
+        return ilmClient;
+    }
+
     public XPackClient withHeaders(Map<String, String> headers) {
         return new XPackClient(client.filterWithHeader(headers));
     }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/indexlifecycle/client/ILMClient.java b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/indexlifecycle/client/ILMClient.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ef842f20242
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/indexlifecycle/client/ILMClient.java
@@ -0,0 +1,181 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+package org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.indexlifecycle.client;
+
+import org.elasticsearch.action.ActionFuture;
+import org.elasticsearch.action.ActionListener;
+import org.elasticsearch.action.support.master.AcknowledgedResponse;
+import org.elasticsearch.client.ElasticsearchClient;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.indexlifecycle.ExplainLifecycleRequest;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.indexlifecycle.ExplainLifecycleResponse;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.indexlifecycle.SetIndexLifecyclePolicyRequest;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.indexlifecycle.SetIndexLifecyclePolicyResponse;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.indexlifecycle.StartILMRequest;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.indexlifecycle.StopILMRequest;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.indexlifecycle.action.DeleteLifecycleAction;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.indexlifecycle.action.ExplainLifecycleAction;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.indexlifecycle.action.GetLifecycleAction;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.indexlifecycle.action.GetStatusAction;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.indexlifecycle.action.PutLifecycleAction;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.indexlifecycle.action.RemovePolicyForIndexAction;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.indexlifecycle.action.RetryAction;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.indexlifecycle.action.SetIndexLifecyclePolicyAction;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.indexlifecycle.action.StartILMAction;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.indexlifecycle.action.StopILMAction;
+
+/**
+ * A wrapper to elasticsearch clients that exposes all ILM related APIs
+ */
+public class ILMClient {
+
+    private ElasticsearchClient client;
+
+    public ILMClient(ElasticsearchClient client) {
+        this.client = client;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Create or modify a lifecycle policy definition
+     */
+    public void putLifecyclePolicy(PutLifecycleAction.Request request, ActionListener<PutLifecycleAction.Response> listener) {
+        client.execute(PutLifecycleAction.INSTANCE, request, listener);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Create or modify a lifecycle policy definition
+     */
+    public ActionFuture<PutLifecycleAction.Response> putLifecyclePolicy(PutLifecycleAction.Request request) {
+        return client.execute(PutLifecycleAction.INSTANCE, request);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get a lifecycle policy definition
+     */
+    public void getLifecyclePolicy(GetLifecycleAction.Request request, ActionListener<GetLifecycleAction.Response> listener) {
+        client.execute(GetLifecycleAction.INSTANCE, request, listener);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get a lifecycle policy definition
+     */
+    public ActionFuture<GetLifecycleAction.Response> getLifecyclePolicy(GetLifecycleAction.Request request) {
+        return client.execute(GetLifecycleAction.INSTANCE, request);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Delete a lifecycle policy definition
+     */
+    public void deleteLifecyclePolicy(DeleteLifecycleAction.Request request, ActionListener<DeleteLifecycleAction.Response> listener) {
+        client.execute(DeleteLifecycleAction.INSTANCE, request, listener);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Delete a lifecycle policy definition
+     */
+    public ActionFuture<DeleteLifecycleAction.Response> deleteLifecyclePolicy(DeleteLifecycleAction.Request request) {
+        return client.execute(DeleteLifecycleAction.INSTANCE, request);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Explain the current lifecycle state for an index
+     */
+    public void explainLifecycle(ExplainLifecycleRequest request, ActionListener<ExplainLifecycleResponse> listener) {
+        client.execute(ExplainLifecycleAction.INSTANCE, request, listener);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Explain the current lifecycle state for an index
+     */
+    public ActionFuture<ExplainLifecycleResponse> explainLifecycle(ExplainLifecycleRequest request) {
+        return client.execute(ExplainLifecycleAction.INSTANCE, request);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the current status of the ILM plugin
+     */
+    public void getStatus(GetStatusAction.Request request, ActionListener<GetStatusAction.Response> listener) {
+        client.execute(GetStatusAction.INSTANCE, request, listener);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the current status of the ILM plugin
+     */
+    public ActionFuture<GetStatusAction.Response> getStatus(GetStatusAction.Request request) {
+        return client.execute(GetStatusAction.INSTANCE, request);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the lifecycle policy to use for an index
+     */
+    public void setIndexLifecyclePolicy(SetIndexLifecyclePolicyRequest request, ActionListener<SetIndexLifecyclePolicyResponse> listener) {
+        client.execute(SetIndexLifecyclePolicyAction.INSTANCE, request, listener);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the lifecycle policy to use for an index
+     */
+    public ActionFuture<SetIndexLifecyclePolicyResponse> setIndexLifecyclePolicy(SetIndexLifecyclePolicyRequest request) {
+        return client.execute(SetIndexLifecyclePolicyAction.INSTANCE, request);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Removes index lifecycle management from an index
+     */
+    public void removePolicyForIndex(RemovePolicyForIndexAction.Request request,
+            ActionListener<RemovePolicyForIndexAction.Response> listener) {
+        client.execute(RemovePolicyForIndexAction.INSTANCE, request, listener);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Removes index lifecycle management from an index
+     */
+    public ActionFuture<RemovePolicyForIndexAction.Response> removePolicyForIndex(RemovePolicyForIndexAction.Request request) {
+        return client.execute(RemovePolicyForIndexAction.INSTANCE, request);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Retries the policy for an index which is currently in ERROR
+     */
+    public void retryPolicy(RetryAction.Request request, ActionListener<RetryAction.Response> listener) {
+        client.execute(RetryAction.INSTANCE, request, listener);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Removes index lifecycle management from an index
+     */
+    public ActionFuture<RetryAction.Response> retryPolicy(RetryAction.Request request) {
+        return client.execute(RetryAction.INSTANCE, request);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Starts the ILM plugin
+     */
+    public void startILM(StartILMRequest request, ActionListener<AcknowledgedResponse> listener) {
+        client.execute(StartILMAction.INSTANCE, request, listener);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Starts the ILM plugin
+     */
+    public ActionFuture<AcknowledgedResponse> startILM(StartILMRequest request) {
+        return client.execute(StartILMAction.INSTANCE, request);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Stops the ILM plugin
+     */
+    public void stopILM(StopILMRequest request, ActionListener<AcknowledgedResponse> listener) {
+        client.execute(StopILMAction.INSTANCE, request, listener);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Stops the ILM plugin
+     */
+    public ActionFuture<AcknowledgedResponse> stopILM(StopILMRequest request) {
+        return client.execute(StopILMAction.INSTANCE, request);
+    }
+}