Integrated battle groups concept being given shape in 17 Corps: Army commander

The concept of Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs)-agile and self-sufficient Army units comprising of about 5000 soldiers each- has started to take shape in the recently raised 17 Corps of the Indian Army, said the Chief of the Eastern Command Lieutenant General Anil Chauhan on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters on the occasion of Army Day Lieutenant General Chauhan said that the concept of IBGs was being introduced to the 17 Corps, the country’s first mountain strike corps to meet the rising challenges in the northern borders.

“ The purpose of IBGs is to create formations which can be deployed more swiftly are more efficient for the tasks, namely the rising challenges in the northern borders,” said Lieutenant General Chauhan.

The IBGs comprise of 5000 soldiers each along with tanks, artillery, air defence, engineers and other support units.

He also said that the current Indian Army structures are more of a legacy of the colonial era British Army which was perhaps meant for fighting long wars in distant lands.

“As for the 17 Cops at the initial stages we have conducted we have conducted some exercises to validate the concept of IBGs such as what should be its structure and organisation,” said Lieutenant General Chauhan.

He also said that as far as the operational situation in the northern border is concerned it has remained quiet in 2019 due to the Wuhan Summit in April 2018 and Chennai Summit in October 2019.

“ Peace is being maintained without any compromise in our valid claims and position at the Line of Actual Control,” said Lieutenant General Chauhan. India shares about 4,000 kms of the international border with China. There was a standoff between the Indian and Chinese Army in Dokalam for 73 days starting from June 16, 2017.

The 17 Corps carried out the ‘Him Vijay’ exercise at an altitude of 15,000 feet in Arunachal Pradesh in October 2019.