Ready for war with new IBGs: Rawat

Each border may have around 8-10 IBGs, each having 8,000-10,000 troops and comprise 4-6 infantry and armoured battalions, 2-3 artillery regiments, integrated signals unit and dedicated integral logistics

Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat has conceptualised new Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) that will be fully equipped with elements of warfare for field trials before they are pre-positioned at the western border with Pakistan and northern border with China for getting into the war mode fast.

“We are preparing ground to keep the forces ready for any future eventuality. Our organisational structure is old. It needs change. We are going to test-bed the IBGs very soon. They will be integrated in peacetime to save the time wasted in integrating while going for combat,” the General said.

He said various battalions of infantry, armoured, artillery, signals and engineers are already assigned to an area and we now want them to be ready in peacetime to be prepared if any war breaks out.

“Test-bed” is a term in military parlance for trying out a new concept in field under real conditions. Asked if the IBG will be a bigger form of a traditional brigade (three-four battalions or 3,500 men), Gen Rawat said: “We are looking at two types of IBGs — smaller ones for the mountains (the Himalayas facing China) and the bigger ones for the plains (facing Pakistan).”

Each border may have around 8-10 IBGs, each having 8,000-10,000 troops and comprise 4-6 infantry and armoured battalions, 2-3 artillery regiments, an engineers unit, integrated signals unit and dedicated integral logistics. Brigadiers may command smaller IBGs and Major Generals the bigger ones. Both will be under the Corps Commander of the area. There are 14 Corps of the Army, including the four Strike Corps.

The Army Chief said: “Ideally we will know after the test-bed, but it could be eight to 10 IBGs in the west and same in the north.”

Explaining the IBG and its working, Gen Rawat said: “A combat group ‘integration’ is done as you are launched into battle. The IBG will be doing ''integration'' in peacetime.” Refuting suggestions that this could be a tweak to the “cold start doctrine,” first made public in 2004, he said: “The adversary had worked out a plan. We have to beat them in time and space.”

The “cold start” implies the Army’s readiness for offensive operations from a standing start. Commenting on the future, Gen Rawat said: “The nature of warfare is changing. We have to change and adapt.

“To say that along the border there will only be attrition warfare where you attack features and capture is wrong. A lot of non-contact warfare will come into play. It is not just related to military. Rivals can disrupt banking, railway, power grids, airport command control systems, etc, and we have to be prepared for that,” he added.