Citizens’ army: What is Territorial Army and what role does it play

As strikes and counter-strikes by drones and missiles as well as small arms and artillery continue between India and Pakistan along the entire western front and a tense atmosphere prevails, the Central government has authorised Chief of the Army Staff to mobilise the entire Territorial Army (TA) for deployment in support of the regular Army.Referred to as the ‘Citizens’ Army’, TA is an auxiliary force comprising gainfully employed persons who are imparted military training and continue with their civilian jobs, but can be called out for service during an emergency.A notification issued on May 6, under Rule 33 of the Territorial Army Rules, 1948, has directed the Army Chief to call out every officer and enrolled personnel of the TA as needed, either for guard duties or for full embodiment to support and supplement the regular armed forces.The directive specifically approves the embodiment of 14 out of the existing 32 Infantry Battalions of the TA for deployment across all major commands of the Indian Army. The primary role of the TA, as defined in its charter, is to “relieve the regular Army from static duties and assist the civil administration in dealing with natural calamities and maintenance of essential services in situations where life of the communities is affected or the security of the country is threatened, and to provide units for regular Army as and when required”.The compositionThe TA has a strength of about 50,000 personnel and they hold military ranks, both for officers as well as the troops, in line with the regular Army. They are required to undergo periodic training and are also eligible for promotions, which for officers is based on time scale up to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and thereafter till Brigadier on selection. For the duration of training and embodied service, all ranks receive pay and allowances on par with the regular Army.Depending on the situation, officers may also be called for extended military service, as need be. When called up for training or active duty, they receive the same pay, allowances, and privileges as regular Army officers.Besides infantry battalions, there are also ‘Departmental Units’, affiliated with and drawing personnel from specific establishments like the Railways, Posts, Telecom, ONGC and IOC, which can take over the services in these departments if required during industrial unrest or natural calamities.There are also ecological battalions and task forces that are funded by the state governments concerned. These are raised to preserve and rejuvenate the ecology in degraded areas through reforestation projects.Call of dutyThe TA has been mobilised in all post-Independence wars fought by India and has also participated in major operations such as the Kargil conflict, the Indian Peacekeeping Force in Sri Lanka and internal security duties in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.In 2003-04, the TA also introduced the concept of ‘Home and Hearth’ battalions, especially for Jammu and Kashmir, that recruited local youth and tasked them with counter-insurgency and internal security within their region to wean them away from militancy and also exploit their local knowledge and connect.Every Army Command has a TA Group Headquarters that is responsible for the administration and deployment of TA units. A Group has several infantry battalions and other departmental units under its control.Genesis of TAIt can be traced back to the First War of Independence in 1857, when a Volunteer Force was raised. In 1917, the Indian Defence Force Act was enacted, under which all universities were asked to provide contingents for the Indian Defence Force.According to details provided by the TA, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose joined the Calcutta University Corps of the Indian Defence Force in 1918. This later helped him raise the Indian National Army during the freedom movement. Jawaharlal Nehru was part of the Allahabad University Corps.As a matter of interest, Mahatma Gandhi also joined the South Africa Volunteer Force in 1898 and 1905 and was a Sergeant Major with the Indian Ambulance Corps during the Boer war and Zulu rebellion.The Indian Defence Force consisted of two branches — the European branch consisting of the Old Volunteer Force under the designation of ‘Auxiliary Force’ and the Indian branch, which later on became part of the Indian Territorial Force.The Territorial Force was constituted for service within the limits of Indian frontiers and was aimed at forming a second line of defence to the regular Army.After IndependenceThe Territorial Army Act was passed in August 1948 and the first Indian Governor General, C Rajagopalachari, formally inaugurated the TA on October 9, 1949. At that time, different types of units like armoured, air defence, signals, etc, were disbanded and only infantry battalions were retained and departmental units were formed.Over the years, many industrialists, politicians, sportspersons and eminent personalities have been members of the TA, some of whom have risen to the highest possible rank of Brigadier. The force has also appointed 11 officers as Honorary ADC to the President of India.The officers and men of the Territorial Army have been decorated for their gallantry and distinguished services. This includes one Kirti Chakra, five Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, five Vir Chakra, five Shaurya Chakra, one Yudh Seva Medal, 74 Sena Medal, 28 Vishisht Seva Medal, 17 Mention-in-Dispatches and 266 Chief of the Army Staff Commendation Cards.

Citizens’ army: What is Territorial Army and what role does it play

Vijay Mohan

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