In big revamp after Op Sindoor, Army to induct 4.25L carbines

Post Operation Sindoor, the Army on Wednesday announced a major restructuring of its war-fighting capabilities. The revamp includes the induction of 4.25 lakh new carbines, the raising of specialised commando battalions and the deployment of drone-operating specialists with each infantry battalion.

Speaking ahead of Infantry Day, which falls on October 27, Director General of Infantry Lt Gen Ajay Kumar said new weapons were being added to modernise the force. A Rs 2,770-crore order has been placed with two Indian firms for the 4.25 lakh hand-held carbines, with supply expected to be completed within a year. Bharat Forge will supply 60 per cent of the weapons, while PLR-Adani will provide the remaining 40 per cent.

Lt Gen Kumar added that advancements in metallurgy and technology over the years necessitated the procurement of these new weapons.

The first batch is currently undergoing training, which is scheduled to be completed by October 30. Each battalion will comprise around 200 specialised commandos, equipped with advanced weapons and technology to strike deep inside enemy territory. They will integrate various combat elements, including infantry, artillery, special forces, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and signals.

Tasking for these units will be at the Corps Commander level. Each Bhairav battalion will operate independently, rather than as part of any infantry unit, and will focus on rapid-response operations along the Line of Control with Pakistan and in counter-insurgency zones.

In all, there will be 25 such battalions and will be raised by adding 5,000 troops to the Army.

Lt Gen Kumar said all 380 infantry battalions now have drone platoons, called ‘Ashni’, each comprising roughly 25 personnel. These platoons will operate a wide range of drones for surveillance, combat, logistics and “kamikaze” self-exploding missions.

The Army has accelerated drone induction under a new concept called ‘eagle in the arm’, aiming to train every soldier in drone operations, much like the use of conventional weapons. To achieve this, drone centres have been established at premier training institutions, including the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, Infantry School in Mhow and Officers' Training Academy in Chennai. The initiative is intended to make drone operations a standard capability across all arms of the Army.

Sources said drones are no longer a niche capability, but have become essential elements of the battlefield, a fact highlighted during Operation Sindoor against Pakistan (May 7–10).

In July, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi announced at the Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations in Drass that every infantry battalion will now have a drone platoon.

The restructuring, which began in 2023, is being implemented in phases to transform the Army into a lean, modern 21st-century force. The plan follows a 2022 study on the “Reorganisation and Rightsizing of the Indian Army”.