Army’s school of warfare to pack a punch

The Army has firmed up plans to set up a counter-insurgency warfare school dedicated to training paramilitary forces near Raipur in Chattisgarh. The first-of-its-kind training facility, to be manned by 500 soldiers including 120 officers, will churn out 7,000 para-military personnel every year.

The Army has firmed up plans to set up a counter-insurgency warfare school dedicated to training paramilitary forces near Raipur in Chattisgarh. The first-of-its-kind training facility, to be manned by 500 soldiers including 120 officers, will churn out 7,000 para-military personnel every year.

HT Image

In a proposal sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Army has sought 1,200 acres near Raipur for setting up the school.

An Army officer told HT, “We sent the proposal in the first week of June after carrying out a comprehensive study. The school will be operational within six months of allotment of land.” The Army has also proposed deploying an infantry battalion (around 800 soldiers) at the same location for providing security and demonstration of counter-insurgency drills to the trainees.

The school will be modelled on the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School at Vairengte in Mizoram, but will be bigger than the CIJWS. It would be headed by a Major General and also have representatives of the MHA and Intelligence Bureau, he said.

The Army's involvement has so far been limited to training para-military personnel for counter-insurgency operations. The force has trained around 50,000 state and central police forces at various military establishments, including the CIJWS.

The Army has also proposed deputing Colonels, who have learnt their trade in Kashmir and North-East, to Naxal-affected states for giving operational advice. “The experience of these officers in the counter-insurgency environment could lend new momentum to the government’s counter-Naxal efforts,” sources said.

The Army has suggested the raising of new specialised units consisting of Army veterans to create a new template for fighting Naxal cadres. The IAF has sought permission to pull out its Mi-17 helicopters serving UN missions in Africa, anticipating a bigger role in providing logistics support to security forces in anti-Naxal operations.