2,014 foreign cadets trained as able officers

Himanshu Kumar Lall

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 9

The only thing that distinguishes the Indian Army from other professions is the unique leadership ability that demands tough physical and mental fitness throughout life. This is the reason that the Indian Army is one of the most decorated armed forces of the world. The pre-commission training at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) is of such high level that Gentlemen Cadets (GCs) and Foreign Gentlemen Cadets (FGCs) from friendly foreign countries undergo the same training schedule to become well-trained young Army officers in their armed forces.

The IMA, which is one of the most prestigious military institutions, has transformed 2,014) FGCs from 31 friendly countries so far ito able army officers. The maximum number of FGCs (558) passed out were from Bhutan, followed by Afghanistan (448), and Sri Lanka (265) till December 2016. One FGC each from Botswana and Fiji had been trained so far, while two FGCs each from Ethiopia, Myanmar, Mongolia, Philippines, Tonga, and Yemen had passed out after successfully completing their pre-commission training at the IMA. A total of 1,416 FGCs from neighbouring countries, including Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar, had been imparted military training at the IMA. Officials say the training module of IMA is one of the best in the world and there is no discrimination between GCs and FGCs.

Major Dinesh Sharma, official spokesman for the IMA, told The Tribune that GCs and FGCs were required to achieve specified minimum physical fitness standards before passing out from the academy. He added the GCs were put through a systematic and progressive physical training to attain the desired standards. The training for young officers is divided into different terms for ensuring a gradual development of GCs in order to ensure transformation of a civilian candidate to an effective leader of the forces. The aim of the pre-commission training is to prepare GCs to command troops even in an adverse situation like war or during peace time. The training enables GCs to assume command of men in battle, obtain standards of physical fitness and drill higher than soldier recruits.