International army games in Rajasthan
By Anil Bhat
The fifth Army International Games event to be held this year will be the Scout Masters Competition 2019, to be held in India for the first time.
The area selected is the dunes near Jaisalmer, nestled in the Great Indian Thar Desert.
A total of eight countries will be participating, including Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Zimbabwe, Armenia, Belarus, China and India.
The International Army Games is a military sports event organized by the Russian Ministry of Defence.
Begun in August 2015, this event involves participation of the armies of 32 countries, which go through a number of competitions over two weeks to prove their mettle.
Earlier this year, it was proposed that the International Army Games will be held in 32 disciplines in 10 countries including Russia, India, China, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Iran, Mongolia, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
The role of army scouts in war includes (a) to operate as lead elements and give early warning about the enemy, (b) to track and report movement behind enemy lines, (c) to assist in disruption of enemy’s mechanised movement by using antiarmour weapons, laying ambushes deep inside enemy territory and direct employment of various weapon systems.
The competition, scheduled from July 24 to August 17, 2019 is being organised by the Konark Corps, headquartered at Jaisalmer Military Station. The competition itself from August 6 to August 14, 2019, will feature operations by Army Reconnaissance Teams of the eight countries involved.
Their specialized skills enable them to assist with observation and listening posts, perform and help with navigation and help securing launch pads. They are trained to carry out silent battle reconnaissance, after establishing contact and reconnaissance of crossing places over obstacles.
Scouts are professionally trained to find out the strength and dispositions of the enemy, gaps in enemy defences and the enemy’s likely reactions. The scouts are also referred to as “Eyes and Ears” of the Army.