New Delhi: India and Pakistan are engaged in a heightened military tension right now. The tension escalated after the daring Operation Sindoor conducted by the Indian Armed Forces in which numerous terrorist camps and militants across Pakistan and the LOC were destroyed or eliminated. So far, India has successfully defended its territory against the aggression of the Pakistani Army and attacked the opposition with utmost ease.
A warlike situation calls for the participation of every citizen in the country, especially in the Army. Now, the Ministry of Defence has permitted the Chief of the Army Staff to call every officer and the Territorial Army’s enrolled person for essential guard duties or embodiment to support the regular Army. The order, issued under Rule 33 of the Territorial Army Rules, 1948, enables full deployment to supplement the regular forces wherever required.
The official notification of May 6, 2025, states, “Out of the existing 32 Infantry Battalions (Territorial Army), embodiment of 14 Infantry Battalions (Territorial Army) [has been approved] for deployment in the areas of Southern Command, Eastern Command, Western Command, Central Command, Northern Command, South Western Command, Andaman and Nicobar Command and Army Training Command (ARTRAC).”
The Ministry of Defence has issued the order amid heightened armed conflicts with Pakistan. However, the order also clarifies that the embodiment will be done only if there is budgetary provisions or are made available through internal re-appropriations. The directive will remain in effect from February 10, 2025, to February 9, 2028.
What is the Territorial Army?
The Territorial Army is a reserve force of the Indian Military and it is comprised of part-time volunteers who serve the Indian Army. The Territorial Army is made up of officers, junior commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers and other personnel who hold ranks similar to those in the Indian Army while also having civilian occupations. This Army is mainly used to relieve the regular Army from static duties and help in civil administration during natural calamities. Also, the Territorial Army is used to provide units for the regular Army whenever necessary.
How was the Territorial Army formed?
The history of the Territorial Army goes back to the 1857 Indian Sepoy Mutiny when a volunteer force was formed. Since then, several steps were taken to form the Territorial Army, including the Indian Defence Force Act in 1917 enabling university students to join the force, something Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose did during his student days. The training would later help him in leading the Indian National Army. Even Jawaharlal Nehru became a part of the force as a student, and interestingly, Mahatma Gandhi joined the South Africa Volunteer Force and was a Sergeant Major with the Indian Ambulance Corps during the Zulu rebellion and the Boer war.
The Territorial Force that came into being during the British Raj served within the limits of Indian Frontiers and Sir Charles Monroe, Commander-in-Chief of the Forces, played a key role in forming an Indian Territorial Force. It was formed to help the regular Army. In 1948, the Territorial Army Act was passed and the first Indian Governor General C Rajagopalachari on October 9, 1949, formally inaugurated the Territorial Army. Every year, the day is celebrates as the Territorial Army Day.
What is the role of the Territorial Army?
According to the official website of the Territorial Army, it is the Regular Army’s part. At present, its role is to relieve the Regular Army from static duties and help the civil administration during natural calamities and to maintain essential services when the people of the country is affected or the country’s security is threatened. Also, it has to provide units for Regular Army whenever needed.
How many personnel are there in the Territorial Army?
At present, the Territorial Army has around 50,000 personnel with 65 departmental units like IOC, Railway, ONGC, and Non Departmental Territorial Army units of Infantry Battalion along with the Engineer Regiment which maintains the fencing at the Line of Control. Now, one Composite Eco Task Force for National Mission for Clean Ganga is being raised to develop, preserve and maintain ecological balance and afforestation in difficult areas. Over the years, many eminent personalities including sportsperson, industrialists, and politicians have been members of the Territorial Army.
Has the Territorial Army ever taken part in the operations?
Yes, the units of the Territorial Army were actively involved in India-China War in 1962, India-Pakistan War in 1965 and India-Pakistan War in 1971. The Army took part in Operation PAWAN in Sri Lanka, Operation RAKSHAK in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir and Operation RHINO and Operation BAJRANG in the Northeast India. They have served the nation during natural calamities, famously in Maharashtra’s Latur, Uttarkashi and during the super cyclone in Odisha. The Ecological units have checked environmental degradation by human being and have planted around 6 crore and 65 lakh trees over 66,000 hectares of land across Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.
