Army's new course trains soldiers for sub-conventional warfare

As asymmetric warfare and sub-conventional operations throw up increasing challenges in a multi-domain environment, the Indian Army has instituted a new ‘Unconventional Warfare Course’ to empower its rank and file in the tactics of combating covet operators, saboteurs and terrorists.

The inaugural course concluded at the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School in Mizoram on November 2, Shimla-based Army Training Command (ARTRAC), which is responsible for all training across all hierarchical levels in the Army, said on Monday.

“In continuation with the #IndianArmy's resolve to be prepared to respond to any act of terror, the course trains small teams for rapid and effective response to complex situations stemming during Unconventional Warfare within the Conventional Domain,” ARTRAC said.

“The course nurtures tactical agility, adaptive strategies and leadership development for modern conflict environments,” the Command added.

In line with meeting the requirements in the years ahead, the Army had also launched a tri-services ‘Future Warfare Course', last year which focuses on the evolving operational, administrative and logistics dynamics in emerging domains like artificial intelligence, electromagnetic spectrum, cyber and space.

The CIJWS, Indian Army’s primary training institution for tactical aspects of unconventional warfare, was in 1970, and specialises in the tactical aspects of counter-insurgency, jungle warfare and guerrilla warfare.

With its motto, “Fight the Guerrilla Like a Guerrilla,” it trains officers and troops in advanced techniques of survival, surveillance, covert operations, ambush, counter-ambush, handling improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and psychological aspects.

The courses run by CIJWS generally are of 2–4 weeks duration involving intensive, scenario-based drills, sand model simulations, live firing exercises, and ethical indoctrination to minimise collateral damage.

Enriched with the Indian Army’s vast experience of dealing with counter insurgency and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, north-east as well as overseas, the school is internationally acclaimed and also trains soldiers from several friendly foreign countries.