The exact contours of the long-awaited transformation of the Indian Army will be finalised at the end of October after Exercise Sudarshan Shakti, a massive desert operation to be conducted by 21 Corps, one of the three strike formation India possesses, concludes.
Conceptualised in 2010 after a two-year study by a group of top generals under the current army chief, Gen VK Singh, when he was the Eastern Army commander, the transformation envisages seamless integration of available forces without the constraints of limiting the resources in water-tight compartments of "commands". So far, each command and formation operated well within its prescribed boundaries and deployed the combat as well as support services only within its own jurisdiction.
The transformation, however, seeks to break down these artificial boundaries to minimise losses and increase optimal utilisation of resources. So in the years to come, the Indian Army will move from a "command-based" deployment to a "theatre command" format where the "front" or the spearhead will be seamlessly integrated with resources in the "depth" or the rear.
In other words, when fighting formations get busy in taking on the enemy, the support elements dealing with food supplies, ammunition, spares etc -- usually based towards the rear -- will have total synergy with the frontline troops, thereby increasing their effectiveness.
The basic idea is to turn the lumbering Army into "an agile, lethal, versatile and networked force, which is capability-based to meet future challenges". Gen VK Singh has said the transformation must be 360 degrees and "enhance operational capability through reorganisation, restructuring, force development and relocation".
The concept is based on 13 transformation studies. These range from ways to consolidate strike capabilities and "flatten" HQs, to "synergising" all resources. Some of the Army's new transformative concepts are already being "test-bedded".
The chief in fact told the Army commanders in the ongoing commanders' conference in New Delhi which began on Monday that proposals for "theatrisation" of combat and combat services support have been completed and they would be test-bedded during the forthcoming Southern Command Exercise with troops. Once the efficacy is ascertained, it would be implemented. Processes are also on for re-structuring of the Army headquarters, so that it becomes a more responsive and synergised organisation.
All these steps undertaken would ensure that our Army is more agile, responsive and effective, the Army chief said.
The five-day conference is focusing on various macro-level issues pertaining to operational preparedness, equipment sustainment for mission readiness and maximising combat power generation capability of the Army, enhancing professional military education for scholar warriors, logistics and other administrative aspects. Procedures to ensure efficient 'budgetary management', 'improvement of habitat in high altitude areas' and 'night landing capability for airfields in the northern and western theatres' was deliberated on the first day of the conference. It was brought out that due to low temperatures at night, the carrying capacity of the IL-76 would increase, thus helping in winter stocking as also for operational logistic build-up.
