India-Pakistan conflict: Centre empowers Army chief to mobilise Territorial Army for support

New Delhi: The central government has empowered the Army Chief to call out "every officer and every enrolled person" of the Territorial Army (TA) to provide for essential guard or to be embodied to support or supplement the regular Army.

The move comes in the wake of the ongoing military conflict between India and Pakistan.

The Ministry of Defence's Department of Military Affairs issued a notification dated May 6 which says, "This order shall remain in force for three years with effect from 10 Feb 2025 to 09 Feb 2028".

The TA, raised on October 9, 1949, completed 75 years last year and has served the nation in times of war, and in humanitarian and environmental protection works through its eventful journey over the decades.

It is fully integrated with the regular Army. In recognition of nation-building efforts and contributions made during war or conflicts, numerous individuals have been honoured with gallantry as well as distinguished service awards in the TA.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by Rule 33 of the Territorial Army Rule 1948, the Central Government empowers Chief of the Army Staff to exercise the powers under that rule to call out every officer and every enrolled person of the Territorial Army to provide for essential guard or to be embodied for the purpose of supporting or supplementing the regular army," reads the notification.

The government notification also said, "out of the existing 32 Infantry Battalions (Territorial Army), embodiment of 14 Infantry Battalions (Territorial Army) for deployment in the areas of Southern Command, Eastern Command, Western Command, Central Command, Northern Command, South Western Command, Andaman and Nicobar Command and Army Training Command (ARTRAC)".

The embodiment shall be ordered provided the funds are available in the budget or have been made available by re-appropriation of the internal savings in the budget, it added.

"For units embodied at the behest of Ministries other than Ministry of Defence, the cost will be debited to the respective Ministries and will not be included in the budget allocation of the Ministry of Defence," the notification said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday carried out a comprehensive review of the national security scenario with the top military leadership, a day after Pakistan's attempts to target Indian military installations were repelled.

Every aspect of the evolving security situation was discussed in the meeting, it is learnt.