The Indian Army has equipped 380 infantry battalions with dedicated drone platoons, while elite commando units are being raised as part of a modernisation push to strengthen combat power along the northern and western frontiers.
Lt Gen Ajay Kumar, Director General of Infantry, said the measures aim to enhance the strike and surveillance capabilities of infantry units. As part of the upgrade, the Army is procuring 4.25 lakh battle carbines at a cost of Rs 2,770 crore, he told reporters.
380 infantry battalions with 'Ashney' drone platoons
Lt Gen Kumar said each of the 380 infantry battalions now has an Ashney (fire) drone platoon that comprises at least four surveillance drones and six are of the armed category. The armed platforms will include kamikaze drones and precision ammunition dropping unmanned aerial vehicles, he said, explaining how the Army is initiating measures to boost the combat capabilities of the infantry battalions.
The Army has already raised five elite Bhairav battalions with nearly 250 soldiers each, and it plans to have a total of 25 such battalions within the next six months. These battalions are being raised for special operations and are likely to be a bridge between regular infantry and the elite para-special forces.
"Five battalions of Bhairav have already been raised. They have already been deployed in the area of intended operations, and on the job training is going on from October 1," the director general said.
Training to culminate on October 30
Lt Gen Kumar said that the training of the five battalions will culminate on October 30, and thereafter they will be fully operationalised. "The process to raise another four battalions are nearing completion and we will have 25 such battalions in the next six months," he added.
He further said that the Bhairav battalions as well as the special forces battalions, will also have Ashni drone platoons.
The Army's carbine procurement will see 60 per cent of the weapons supplied by Bharat Forge Ltd and the remaining 40 per cent by PLR Systems, Lt Gen Ajay Kumar said. The delivery of the carbines is scheduled to begin within one year, and the supplies will have to be completed within two years, he added.
On the proposed India–US co-production of the Javelin anti-tank system, he said the Army has procurement of 104 missiles and 12 launchers already in the pipeline. The senior military official said the Army is procuring a range of anti-tank guided missiles.
Army upgrading assault rifles
Lt Gen Kumar said the Army is also upgrading assault rifles and light machine guns from 5.56mm to 7.62mm calibre for infantry soldiers. The vintage sniper rifles are also being replaced with .338 sniper rifles.
As part of anti-tank weapons, we are migrating from the present second generation to fourth and fifth-generation technology.
In order to infuse the drone-enabled precision strike capability, the Infantry is inducting loiter munitions for infantry operations, he said.
Lt Gen Kumar said all-terrain vehicles, light specialist vehicles, and specialist mobility vehicles are being inducted to boost the mobility of the units.
Surveillance drones, upgraded battlefield surveillance radars, and hand-held thermal imaging sights are also being procured in order to enhance battlefield surveillance and enable commanders on the ground to make informed decisions, he said.
(With PTI inputs)
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