Bhairav — 1st specialised commando battalion to take charge by Oct-end

The newly raised ‘Bhairav’ specialised commando battalion will be deployed along the border by the end of October.

Sources said five of these battalions would be deployed in critical areas in the Northern Command, including Ladakh, and Srinagar. The western sector and the eastern hilly regions facing China would also get a battalion each.

The army has set a target to raise an additional 20 such battalions in the next six months.

On October 24, the army released first pictures of the troops of the Bhairav battalion during their interaction with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh along the forward area in Rajasthan.

The Defence Minister had witnessed a dynamic “capability demonstration exercise”, showcasing integrated employment of the new organisation.

Each battalion would comprise 250 specialised commandos equipped with weapons and technology to bring down anything and strike deep inside the enemy territory.

These battalions would integrate fighting components and have weapons, equipment and vehicles used by infantry, artillery, Special Forces, Signals and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).

The tasking of each such unit would be done at the level of Corps Commander. Each Bhairav battalion would be standalone and not part of any infantry unit.

These units would be “lean, lethal and highly mobile” and would operate as a force between conventional infantry and the elite Para (Special Forces).

These batallions would be tasked to conduct rapid, high-impact tactical operations, especially along the border with China and Pakistan. Thus, freeing up the Special Forces for more strategic and high-risk missions.

Unlike traditional infantry battalions, troops have been drawn from several arms of the army, including infantry, artillery, air defence and Signals.

Creation of Bhairav battalions is part of a wider modernisation drive in the army, which also includes the formation of “Rudra” all-arms brigades and “Ashni” drone platoons for enhanced technological warfare capabilities.