Defence Ministry Orders Embodiment of 14 Territorial Army Battalions

Defence Ministry Orders Embodiment of 14 Territorial Army Battalions

New Delhi, 9 May 2025 — In a significant move following the developments of Operation Sindoor, the Ministry of Defence has issued a formal notification empowering the Chief of the Army Staff to call out 14 of the 32 Territorial Army Infantry Battalions. This deployment is aimed at bolstering national security and supplementing the regular armed forces amidst the evolving strategic environment.

The notification, dated 6 May 2025, and issued under S.R.O. 9(E), invokes Rule 33 of the Territorial Army Rules, 1948, allowing for the embodiment of personnel to serve in both protective and support roles across key military commands in India. These include the Southern, Eastern, Western, Central, Northern, South Western, Andaman and Nicobar Commands, as well as the Army Training Command (ARTRAC).

According to the directive, this embodiment will be carried out based on available budgetary resources. In cases where units are embodied at the request of ministries other than the Ministry of Defence, costs will be borne by the respective departments, ensuring no strain on the MoD’s financial allocations.

This order will remain in force for a three-year period from 10 February 2025 to 9 February 2028, enabling strategic flexibility in the deployment of Territorial Army units for internal and border security duties.

The notification, signed by Major General GS Choudhry, Joint Secretary, comes in the backdrop of increasing military preparedness and national security considerations post-Operation Sindoor, an operation which reportedly revealed heightened vulnerabilities along multiple sectors of India’s defense perimeter.

newsbabaonline.com