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Integrated Battle Groups
Why is it in news?
- The new concept of Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) which the Army plans to create as part of overall force transformation is close to implementation.
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- command Vs Corps:(1) While a command is the largest static formation of the Army spread across a defined geography, a corps is the largest mobile formation.(2) Typically each corps has about three brigades.(3) The idea is to reorganise them into IBGs which are brigade-sized units but have all the essential elements like infantry, armoured, artillery and air defence embedded together based on the three Ts.
- Terrain specific: An IBG operating in a desert needs to be constituted differently from an IBG operating in the mountains.
- Organisation and sanction: The key corps of the Army are likely to be reorganised into 1-3 IBGs. Government sanction for each will be taken separately once they are constituted.
- Defensive and offensive IBGs:(1) The IBGs will also be defensive and offensive. While the offensive IBGs would quickly mobilise and make thrust into enemy territory for strikes, defensive IBGs would hold ground at vulnerable points or where enemy action is expected.(2) The composition of the IBGs would also depend on this.
- Four major studies:(1) Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat has initiated four major studies to undertake overall transformation of the force.(2) These include restructuring of Army Headquarters; force restructuring which includes creation of Integrated Battle Groups (IBG); the cadre review of officers; and review of the terms and conditions of Junior Commissioned Officers and Other Ranks.
- Aim: Holistic integration to enhance the operational and functional efficiency, optimise budget expenditure, facilitate force modernisation and address aspirations.
- Cold Start doctrine:(1) After the terrorist attack on the Parliament, the Indian military undertook massive mobilisation but the Army’s formations which were deep inside took weeks to mobilise loosing the element of surprise.(2) Following this, the Army formulated a proactive doctrine known as ‘Cold Start’ to launch swift offensive but its existence was consistently denied in the past.(3) Its existence was acknowledged for the first time by Gen Rawat in January 2017.
Source
The Hindu