Bhairav Commandos: Inside India’s new elite army battalions

As situation along the borders with Pakistan and China turned more volatile, the Indian Army is set to introduce the Bhairav Commando battalions to bolster national defence.

According to a report by the Times of India, each battalion will have 250 specially trained and equipped soldiers who will serve as a bridge between regular infantry and the elite para-special forces.

The Army wants to set up five such units by the end of October. However, the process may take longer than expected, a source told the publication.

Three units will be deployed along India's northern frontier with China and Pakistan while the remaining two will be deployed along the north-east and western borders.

The Bhairav Commandos will be inducted from the already existing infantry battalions. Their primary responsibilities will include reconnaissance and disruption of enemy troops along with cross-border interdiction. This will allow Special Forces to focus on high-priority missions.

These units will supplement the Indian Army's existing 10 Para-Special Forces and five Para (Airborne) battalion.

Each battalion will comprise approximately 250 soldiers. For 2-3 months, these Bhairav Commandos will undergo special training at their respective regimental centres and will then be attached to the Special Forces in their respective theatres for another month of advanced training, the report said.

Rudra, Shaktibaan, Divyastra

In July, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi outlined the plan to incorporate elements such as ‘Rudra’, ‘Bhairav’, ‘Shaktibaan’, and ‘Divyastra’ within the Indian Army. This part of Army's 'Raise and Save' approach repurposes existing units instead of making new ones.

After escalation of hostilities with Pakistan in May, the Indian Army realised how drones, loitering munitions and networked ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) platforms can cause major damage to the enemy. Thus along with Bhairav units, Army has begun modernising its artillery to operate in drone-saturated fields, it said.

These all-arms formations combine infantry, artillery, and armoured units into a single operational structure.

“Every infantry battalion now includes drone platoons, while the artillery’s lethality has been significantly enhanced through Divyastra batteries and loitering munitions batteries. The Army Air Defence is being equipped with indigenous missile systems," Chief of the Army Staff said.

According to ThePrint, the Indian Army is all set to receive Shaktibaan regiments.

Shaktibaan units are specialised artillery regiments that emphasise on drones and loitering munitions for “see-and-strike" missions that can hover over targets before attacking.

Divyastra batteries, on the other hand, represent a major shift toward integrating traditional artillery with advanced unmanned and precision-strike technologies. These units will use a combination of drones, loitering munitions and guns. 

According to Economic Times, the primary goal of Divyastra batteries is to enhance the artillery’s firepower and operational effectiveness by enabling deep-strike capabilities, real-time target tracking, and precision engagement of both static and moving threats.

Together, these capabilities will help in strategic transformation of Indian Army.