Indian Army's Bhairav Battalions: Over 1 Lakh Drone Experts for Modern Warfare

Bhairav, the latest Special Force raised by the Indian Army- is being readied to tackle the challenges of modern warfare, as all operatives are capable of handling drones and use them in real operations for targeting bases and formations inside enemy territory.

Team ANI visited one of the newly raised Bhairav battalions in the desert sector under the Southern Command, where it witnessed the capabilities of the troops who had been selected from Infantry regiments to raise the Special Force and were being given special training as per the requirements of modern warfare.

The Bhairav battalions raised by Army Headquarters with lessons from global and own conflicts in mind, have been created to provide a dedicated force for high-speed, offensive operations to carry out the Special Forces tasking at multiple levels as per requirements.

The Indian Army has raised around 15 of these battalions already, and they have been assigned to different formations on both borders and have plans to raise around 25 of them in total in the near future.

The Bhairav battalions would also bridge the gap between the Para Special Forces and the regular Infantry battalions. The Bhairav would also be tasked to carry out Special Operations at tactical to operational depth.

"Modern warfare is changing at a very rapid pace. The conflicts of today are hybrid in nature, and one needs to be fully equipped with modern technology to be able to deal with the Challenges. The Bhairav battalions have also been created as part of the force restructuring, which have been raised in line with the requirements of modern technology, new thought process and as per the new operational requirements," Commanding Officer of the 2 Bhairav Battalion told ANI in an exclusive interview.

"I am the Commanding officer of the desert Bhairav battalion of the Southern Command of the Indian Army. The desert has its own challenges where special skill sets, endurance and technology are required to be used in the right way. That is why the Bhairav has been raised as a technology-driven system which can operate independently and carry out multi-domain operations in the future," he added.

Explaining about the formation of the unit, the Commanding officer said, "The desert Bhairav Battalion has been raised on the concept of 'Sons of the Soil' as the majority of the troops are from Rajasthan who can understand the terrain, language, weather and the area. The battalion has been built upon the legacy of the valour and gallantry of Rajanghan, and that is our biggest strength. We are ready to meet any challenge in the desert sector."

The Bhairav battalions have trained very hard in the last five months since their raising, using modern technology and carried out successful operational validation during the Exercise Akhand Prahar, where the troops showcased their readiness in the presence of Southern Army Commander Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth.

The Commanding Officer said the force was evolving very strongly and emerging as the "Swift, Capable and Decisive" force of the Southern Command and the Indian Army. The Bhairav battalions would also be part of the India Army's Army Day Parade at Jaipur to be held on January 15 this year. The 2 Bhairav, also known as the Desert Falcons, would be taking part in the event.

The Indian Army has also carried out major force restructuring keeping in mind the operational requirements and created Rudra Brigades, which are all-arms formations that combine infantry, mechanised units, tanks, artillery, special forces, and unmanned aerial systems with dedicated logistics and combat support.

The Artillery, Mechanised Infantry and the Armoured Corps are also being equipped with modern warfare equipment like drones and other capabilities to be able to perform tasks more efficiently.

- ANI