Army begins raising new 'Bhairav' commando units for swift strikes on China, Pakistan fronts

The Army has begun raising the first batch of five ‘Bhairav’ light commando battalions, each with 250 specially trained soldiers, to strengthen swift strike capabilities along the borders with Pakistan and China, The Times of India reported.

According to the plan, a total of 23 such “agile and lethal” battalions will be created from existing troops to fill the gap between regular infantry and the elite Para-Special Forces. “The aim is to have the first five such units in place by October 31, though it can take a little more time,” a source told TOI.

Three of these initial battalions will be part of the Udhampur-based Northern Command, with one each under the 14 Corps in Leh, 15 Corps in Srinagar, and 16 Corps in Nagrota. The remaining two will be raised in the desert terrain of the western sector and the hilly terrain of the eastern sector, the report said.

The 11.5-lakh strong Army is drawing these commandos from its existing 415 infantry battalions, each comprising around 800 soldiers, under a “save and raise” model that does not require additional troop induction. “Much smaller and nimble than infantry battalions, the ‘Bhairav’ units will be equipped with the latest weapons, gadgets and drones. They will be geared for speed, flexibility and high-impact tactical operations,” a source told TOI.

These battalions will be in addition to the Army’s 10 Para-Special Forces and five Para (Airborne) units, each of which has about 620 soldiers selected through rigorous training and equipped with specialised weapons. While Special Forces are typically deployed for clandestine, high-risk missions behind enemy lines, they are often used for tactical tasks as well. “The ‘Bhairav’ battalions, each with seven-eight officers, are also meant to relieve Special Forces, who can then concentrate on their more critical tasks,” another source told TOI.

The ‘Bhairav’ commandos will undergo two to three months of specialised training at their regimental centres before being attached to Special Forces units in their respective theatres for a month of advanced training, the report added.

The move follows Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi’s announcement on July 26 about raising new ‘Rudra’ all-arms brigades, ‘Shaktibaan’ artillery regiments with ‘Divyastra’ surveillance and loitering munitions batteries, along with the ‘Bhairav’ battalions. As TOI earlier reported, all infantry battalions will also now have dedicated drone platoons.

A new tri-service joint doctrine for Special Forces operations was released on Wednesday. Apart from the Army’s Para-SF, India also has 27 ‘flights’ of about 1,600 Garud commandos in the IAF and over 1,400 Marine Commandos (Marcos) in the Navy.

“Special Forces, owing to their agility, strategic reach and mission-specific capabilities, are uniquely suited to generate disproportionate operational effect through precision engagement, deep insertion and unconventional operations,” Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said in the doctrine’s foreword, as quoted by TOI.