The Indian Army has decided to deploy more officers in field units with a motive to enhance the operations it Forward areas. As Pakistan continues unprovoked ceasefire violation with firing artillery, mortar, and small-arms fire across Line of Control (LoC), in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack, the Indian Army has now put more combat-worthy officers up to the rank of Colonel, who are currently serving at the Army headquarters, to lead the forces from the front at the forward areas.
Almost 229 young combat-worthy officers have been recognised by the Army after it carried out a detailed re-structuring of Army Headquarters, that was started in June 2018, on direction by Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat.
This is roughly 20 per cent of the number of officers posted in the Army Headquarters.
An official from the Ministry of Defence said, “It was felt that combat-worthy officers who are serving in Army HQ should be in field units”.
Though this decision comes at a time of heightened tensions as Pakistan has been resorting to unprovoked ceasefire violations for almost a month now, following the dastardly Pulwama attack, which consumed the lives of our 44 CRPF soldiers, an officer confirmed that this decision was in the cards as the proposal was part of four studies conducted by the Army for a leaner and more efficient force.
A senior Army officer stated that in a field unit generally around 25 officers are considered ideal but currently they have been functioning with only 10 to 12 officers. “With more officers in the field, the efficiency of the unit will increase manyfold,” the officer said.
However, Army chief General Bipin Rawat has been pressing for reforms in the army to make it more efficient and finally, after 12 such studies on the subject, the Army will adopt and implement the proposal of the recent one.
The government has also approved the proposal for a new deputy chief of the Army staff strategy, to deal with operational and force planning. The office will now have military operations, military intelligence, strategic planning and the newly created information warfare branches under it.
The bold steps which were taken by India to isolate Pakistan globally and the dauntless retaliation to the Pulwama attack by conducting an airstrike deep in Pakistan’s premises has left Pakistan completely spooked. It has been resorting to continuous unprovoked ceasefire violations on the LoC.
Nearly 400 ceasefire violations along the LoC have already taken place this year, including 60 in the last week since the Indian air strikes. The Indian Army has been maintaining strict vigil along the LoC and the International Border (IB) and has been continuously responding to every attack in a befitting manner.