by Ravi Rikhye
AD-2 interceptor Mach 8, 35-km, 2-stage, 30g
6.1.2 Personnel
Authorized active 1,286,000 (Estimates of 1.1-million commonly used are wrong)
Officers 49,737
ORs 1,169,854
In training 66,502
Reserves 120,000
1st-line, within 2 years’ service
Territorial Army (volunteers) 40,000.
Flag officers (has now increased slightly)
1 general
68lieutenant generals
216 major generals
971 brigadiers
4186 colonels (colonels command battalions)
Manpower shortages
~9,000 officers excluding medical branch
32,431 Other Ranks (has been made up)
The Indian Army has faced officer shortages since the 1960s expansion. Because India has Junior Commissioned Officers leading platoons, the number of officers required by what is now the world’s largest army is only ~40,000. A shortage of 9,000 has a devastating effect at the lower echelons. Battalions and regiments function with 12-15 officers instead of the about 30 required.
6.1.3. Strategic Forces Command
Tactical missiles are under the Army and not under the Strategic Forces Command.
Rotating 3-star commander from air force, navy, or army
Six Agni I/II/III Army missile groups (total 72 launchers)
One Agni IV group to form
One Agni V group to form
Naval units
Brahmos cruise missile
K-15 SLBM
K-4 SLBM (1 Arihant SSBN in service, 2nd 2019, 3rd, and 4th building, 2 planned) .
Possibly 40 Mirage 2000s are configured for N-weapons; it is rumored the 36 Rafale in order will take over the mission.
The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists has a somewhat different orbat, giving Jaguars as well as Mirage 2000s as carrying N-weapons, and 68 missiles including two Prithvi groups with a total of 24 missiles.[138] I have no difficulty agreeing with the Bulletin’s estimate of 130 warheads, as India remains focused on a minimum deterrent despite recent talk of full spectrum capability, inspired no doubt by Pakistan talk of the same.
6.2 Summary Order of Battle
6.2.1. Summary Orbat
Army HQ Signal Group (Likely now brigade)
1st Army HQ Signal Regiment
2nd Army HQ Signal Regiment
3rd Army HQ Signal Regiment
4th Army HQ Signal Regiment
President’s Bodyguard
(61st Cavalry Regiment) 180 men
2 horse squadrons for ceremonial duties
(Become armored reconnaissance squadrons on mobilization)
6 Regional Commands (armies in wartime)
Western
South Western
Southern
Northern
Central
Eastern
Army Training Command
14 Corps
1, II, III, IV, IX, X, XI, XII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XXI, XXXIII
Corps troops include (not all corps necessarily have each type of unit)
Signals Group (all corps; composition varies with corps)
Field artillery brigade (all except strike corps, which have artillery divisions)
Attachment from corps artillery division as required (only some corps have artillery divisions)
AD brigade with 40mm L70, quad 23mm, and SP SAMs
Infantry, mountain, or barmored independent brigade (most corps)
Engineer brigade (all corps except one)
Reconnaissance and Observation helicopter squadron (Long-term plans to expand to aviation brigade)
Army Service Corps
Army Medical Corps
Electrical & Mechanical Engineers
3 strike corps (I, II, XXI)
4 pivot (formerly holding corps, now for attacks to create gaps through which strike corps will launch) (IX, X, XI, XII)
5 high altitude warfare (IV, XIV, XV, XVII Strike, XXXIII)
1 counterinsurgency (also high-altitude warfare) (III)
1 Southwest Jammu & Kashmir (low and high mountain terrain) (XVI)
A plan to raise a second mountain strike corps HQ, in Northern Command, is in abeyance because of financial stringency and a wish not to aggravate China.
3 Armored Divisions, 1, 31, 33, each with
2 Armored Brigades
2 tank regiments
1 mechanized battalion
1 Armored Brigade
1 tank regiment
2 mechanized battalions
1 SP AD Brigade (one division does not as yet have this)
1 Field Artillery Brigade (3 regiments)
8 RAPID
Reorganized Army Plains Infantry Division: 4, 7, 10, 12, 14, 18, 24, 36 Divisions, at least one more to form, with 25 Division as a candidate.
2 or 3 Infantry Brigades
1 Armored Brigade
2 tank regiments
2 BMP mechanized infantry battalions (one may be Reconnaissance and Support Battalion)
1 Field Artillery Brigade
15 Infantry Divisions
3, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 19, 22, 23, 25, 26, 29, 39, 57
each with
3-5 Infantry Brigades
3 infantry battalions (usually; many brigades have more)
1 Signal Company
1 artillery brigade
3 field regiments (105mm; Upgrading to 155mm)
1 medium regiment (155mm)
1 Surveillance and Target Acquisition Battery
1 tank regiment
1 Division Signals Regiment
1 Electrical & Mechanical Engineers Battalion
1 Army Service Corps Battalion (supply and transport)
1 Division Engineer Regiment
3 field companies
1 field park company
1 Provost Unit (Military Police, about company size)
1 Field Intelligence Unit
13 Mountain Infantry Divisions
2, 5, 6, 8, 17, 20, 21, 27, 28, 56, 57, 59, 71, 72
3- 4 Mountain Infantry Brigades
1 mountain field artillery brigade
1 heavy mortar regiment (formerly the division independent light battery, 12 tubes)
3 105mm light gun regiments
1 Surveillance and Target Acquisition Battery
(Two new mountain divisions included in the above total will have 4 medium gun regiments with the US M777)
5 CI “Forces” [Divisions, each with 3 “Sectors” (Brigades)]
3 Artillery Divisions (one more raising), each with
1 Composite Artillery Brigade
1 Brahmos Regiment (12 Tatra launch vehicles x 3 missiles)
1 long-range rocket regiment (Smerch, 12 launchers)
1 long-range regiment (Pinaka)
2 medium artillery brigades (each 3 regiments, usually 130mm)
2 independent army artillery brigades (after three brigades were shifted to the artillery divisions)
GRAD regiments are found outside the strike corps
4 Brahmos cruise missile regiments (range <300-km) With the artillery divisions
1 x Block I 861 Regiment
2 x Block II 862 and 863 Regiment
1 x Block III 864 Regiment (for XVII Mountain Strike Corps)
While the Indian press has reported the three units as 861, 862, and 863 Missile Regiments, we have confirmed only the first two numbers.
Confusion between missile groups and regiments
In the Indian Army, a missile group has a launch regiment, a technical regiment, and other support troops. For practical purposes, a regiment and a group can be considered synonymous.
21 Independent Brigades
9 armored (+1 raising)
2 mechanized (55th & 340th)
6+ infantry
3 mountain (include one under raising)
1 airborne/commando (50th Parachute)
13 Air Defense Brigades
11 Corps Engi
neer Brigades
Territorial Army
29 Infantry battalions
14 specialized battalions
7 village defense battalions
7 ecological restoration battalions
6 railway-engineer regiments (battalions), reduced
from 15
7 General Hospitals
1 signal regiment
2 specialized engineer regiments (oil installations)
1 supply battalion
6.2.2. Special Forces
The first six battalions are converted from the Parachute Regiment. 11th and 12th were raised new. The 21st SF is converted from 21 Maratha Light Infantry
1st SF
10th SF
2nd SF
11th SF
3rd SF
12th SF
4th SF
21st SF
9th SF
31st SF (Rashtriya Rifles)
Two more SF battalions are raised or raising for XVII Mountain Corps.
National Security Guard
7000 including administrative/training
Counter-terror, counter-hijacking, VIP protection
Special Action Groups (900 each)
51 SAG (Army) (~180 men)
52 SAG (Army)
11 SAG (paramilitary; was retasked from VIP protection to CT, number may change)
Special Reaction Groups (900 each)
12 SRG (paramilitary)
13 SRG (paramilitary)
It is intended to retask another SRG from VIP protection to counter-terror. The number of persons entitled to NSG protection has been cut to just 15. Within the SRG there are Z teams (22 personnel) and Z+ teams (36 personnel)
4 300-man groups, one each at four regional centers.
Special Protection Group
819 authorized strength, for the Prime Minister’s protection; manned by police agencies.
Other special forces
Special Group Battalion, responsible for clandestine missions; Army, but operates under RAW, India’s analog to the CIA
Navy: ~1000 Marine Commandos
Air Force: ~1800 Garud Force, ~15 squadrons of 70 each
These are intended to be commandos, but many of their missions such as protection of airbases are not special forces duties. Despite an extended training of 72 weeks, there are questions about the effectiveness of the force. Presumably, it will increase.
6.2.3. Parachute Battalions
5th Battalion
6th Battalion
7th Battalion
23rd Battalion
29th Battalion
9th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment
17th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment
One more battalion planned, to allow 4 with the Parachute Brigade and two for training and rotation reserve. 8th Bn went to the Mechanized Infantry, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 9th, 10th went to the Special Forces.
6.3. Battalions
66 armored (more raising)
48 Mechanized (more raising)
8 Armored Reconnaissance & Support
320 Infantry (corrected from the previous estimate which wrongly double-counted the mechanized battalions)
15 Scouts Battalions (including raising)
1st Ladakh
2nd Ladakh
3rd Ladakh
4th Ladakh
5th Ladakh
6th Ladakh (planned)
7th Ladakh (planned)
1st (Himachal)
2nd (Kumaon)
3rd (Garhwal)
1st Arunachal (raised 2010)
2nd Arunachal Scouts (raised 2012); 3rd planned
1st Sikkim (934 personnel)
2nd Sikkim
10 Special Frontier Force (recon commando, China border)
63 light CI Infantry (Rashtriya Rifles)
10 Special Forces (2 more planned)
5 parachute infantry battalions (1 more planned)
200 field artillery regiments
14 rocket regiments
4 Bhramos I, II, III (last one raising)
4 GRAD (Indian rocket with 35+ km range)
phasing out
4 Smerch
3 Pinaka (6 more cleared; 40-km rocket; 60-km rocket in user trials; range to be further extended; battery = 6 x Pinaka launchers + 6 reloader vehicles, 12 rockets each)
3 Prahar planned, ~150-km range, solid-fuel, 200-kg warhead
inertial guidance, for the 3 strike corps
50? ADA regiments
75 engineer regiments
6.4 Detailed Orbat
AHQ Reserves
50th Independent Parachute Brigade
6th Mountain Division (quadruple -tasked: Tibet border, Ladakh, Nepal border, and AHQ Reserve)
54th Infantry Division (normally assigned to XXI Corps, but also out-country intervention force)
Northern Command (Udhampur)
Command Reserve
39th Mountain Division (Yol)
XIV Corps (Leh)
3rd Infantry Division (Leh)
3 infantry brigades (for over 40 years had only two brigades)
102nd Independent Brigade (Thoise) (for Siachin) May no longer be under command of 3 Div.
Sub-Sector North
1 sector (a 2 battalion-sized grouping) May have been incorporated into the new infantry brigade
1 infantry brigade (new)
8th Mountain Division (Dras)
3 mountain brigades
Independent Infantry Brigade Corps Reserve
Independent Armored Brigade
Existing Corps reserves 1 T-72 MBT and 1 BMP battalion may have been incorporated into the new armored brigade
1 aviation brigade (raising)(the precise orbat is in dispute)
2 attack helicopter squadrons x 12 each
2 general purpose squadrons x 12 each
XV Corps (Srinagar)
19th Infantry Division (Baramulla)
28th Infantry Division (Kupwara)
5 brigades, two on rotation from other formations
Victor Force (Counter Insurgency)
Romeo Force (Counter Insurgency)
XVI Corps (near Jammu)
10th RAPID Division (Akhnur)
25th Infantry Division (Rajouri)
3rd Independent Armored Brigade
Papa Force (Counter Insurgency)
Delta Force (Counter Insurgency)
Uniform Force (Counter Insurgency)
Western Command (near Chandigarh)
IX Corps (Yol)
26th Infantry Division (Jammu)
29th Infantry Division (Pathankot)
2nd Independent Armored Brigade
An independent infantry brigade
XI Corps (Jullunder)
7th Infantry Division (Ferozepur)
9th Infantry Division (Meerut) (will move west)
15th Infantry Division (Amritsar)
55th Independent Mechanized Brigade (Beas)
23rd Independent Armored Brigade (Amritsar)
Corps Air Defense Group (Akash SAM)
II Corps (Strike) (near Chandigarh)
1st Armored Division (Ambala)
14th RAPID Division (Dehradun)
22nd Infantry Division (Bhopal)
16th Independent Armored Brigade
40th Artillery Division (Ambala) (According to Sparsh Amin, appears to have shifted place with 41st
Artillery Division
Sugar Sector (Himachal Pradesh) 1 brigade
Central Command (Lucknow)
6th Mountain Division (also tasked to Northern Command and AHQ Reserve) (Bareilly)
(A second division has been sanctioned by Ministry of Defense, but Ministry of Finance must agree)
1 Independent Mountain Brigade (Joshimath)
1 Independent Mountain Brigade (Pithoragarh)
I Corps (Strike) (Mathura)
4th RAPID Division (Allahabad)
31st Armored Division (Jhansi)
36th RAPID Division (Sagour)
41st Artillery Division
(Pune)[139]
97th Artillery Brigade
98th Artillery Brigade
374th Composite Artillery Brigade
125th SATA Regiment
HQ and HQ Battery
WLR and Sound Ranging Battery
Survey & Spotting Battery
UAV and Met battery
Met troops
UAV troops (4 Herons)
14th Independent Armored Brigade
Task Force for Maoist Infested Areas
Army – Special Forces elements
Rashtriya Rifles (Army’s Counter-Insurgency troops)
Central Reserve Police
Other central police forces
State special police units
Regular units from states police forces
Village defense units
Eastern Command (Kolkata)
Two corps AORs have been realigned in this Command.Originally IV Corps was responsible for the entire Arunachal border. Now III Corps looks after the eastern one-third of Arunachal as well as protects the far eastern states of Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram against a PLA attack through Burma. The realignment and two new divisions are part of the heightened posture against China.)
III Corps (Dimapur)
2nd Mountain Division (Dinjan)
56th Mountain Division (new) (Zakhama)
57th Mountain Division (Leimakhong)