The army restructuring plan rolls out

New Delhi: The process of re-organisation of the Indian Army into a far more effective unit is finally underway as the plan to structure the headquarters and the forces on ground has been rolled out it in different stages.

In the headquarter, around 300 officers are being redeployed apart from making other changes while at the same time the concept of Integrated Battle Group (IBGs) is being systematically introduced in the formations.

An IBG is designed to be a brigade-level formation characterized to be tuned for a swift and rapid action. They are being introduced in Yol-based 9 Corps and Ambala-based 2 Corps, as test cases. They are intended to have a full compliments of all the fighting arms and will lead to re-organisation of divisions with focus on speed through rapid mobilization. 

As part of the overall process of rationalizing the forces, the new strike formation, the Panagarh-based (West Bengal) 17 Corps meant for the China border, is now being planned to be a leaner set-up. 

At the army headquarter level, a new Deputy Chief (Strategy) will oversee Directorates of Military Intelligence and Operations emerging as one of the most significant persons. 

A newly created Information Warfare (IW) branch headed by a lieutenant general to deal with hybrid warfare and social media challenges will also report to deputy chief (strategy). 

This will be the third Deputy Chief in the Army Headquartres which at the moment has Deputy Chief (Planning and System) and Deputy Chief (Information system and Training).