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Indian Army in a fix over counterinsurgency battalions
Worried by the finance ministry's advice that these six battalions be disbanded, the top Army brass led by General J J Singh briefed defence minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday on the need to maintain the present RR force levels since they were very effective against militants."The government had sanctioned 57 RR battalions but the number has risen to 63 now, with a total of 75,000 soldiers. The Army wanted to have 66 RR battalions by now but financial approvals have been delayed," said a source. Separate funds are allocated for the RR, the largest counter-insurgency force in the world, under the Army head in the annual budget. In the 2005-06 budget, for instance, Rs 1,347 crore was allocated for this force. RR battalions are deployed in specific areas, without any "regular turnover" like infantry battalions every two-three years. "They develop intelligence and other sources in their area of responsibility over time and can hunt militants better. Terrorists dread RR forces more than regular forces," said an officer. Apart from specialised weaponry and equipment ranging from multiple-grenade launchers and hand-held thermal imagers to long-range reconnaissance and observation systems, the RR battalions are now increasingly getting equipped with advanced counter-improvised explosive devices. Posted by: john 2005-08-01 |
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