The Indian Army is carrying out a major exercise comprising more than 40,000 troops, besides several tanks, artillery guns and attack helicopters near Pakistan border in Barmer district of Rajasthan. The large-scale exercise, named ‘Sindhu Sudarshan’ will continue till December 5.
‘All can be seen, all seen can be destroyed’
Ex #SindhuSudarshan witnessed integration of sensors & shooters while executing large scale maneuvers in #Rajasthan rehearsing #synergy & #interoperability between @IAF_MCC and #IndianArmy sensors through seamless connectivity. pic.twitter.com/jBMxtbq9NF
— ADG PI – INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) November 10, 2019
This is an annual exercise in which the Indian Army tests the ‘battle readiness’ of the Strike Corps. The Army’s field force is grouped into Corps. Some of these are defensively oriented and have, over the years, acquired an unofficial name – ‘Holding’. The others are called, ‘Strike’ Corps. The principal offensive formations of the Indian army are the three Strike Corps – 1 Corps, 2 Corps and 21 Corps.
The Bhopal-based strike 21 Corps, christened as the ‘Sudarshan Chakra Corps’ was formed in July 1990. In this year’s exercise named Sindu Sudarshan-VII, undertaken by the Sudarshan Chakra Corps of the Southern Command, the Army attempts to validate the operational effectiveness and warfare capability of the Indian Army’s 21 Corps, one of service’s three so-called strike corps, in an integrated air, land battle scenario.
“The exercise underscores Indian Army’s resolve to implement the integrated launch of Strike Corps in desert terrain in consonance with its pro-active strategy using Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) along the Western Front,” said an Army officer.
Ex #SindhuSudarshan: Pinaka is a multiple rocket launcher.The system has a maximum range of 40 km for Mark-I & 75 km for Mark-II,and can fire a salvo of 12 #HE #rockets in 44 seconds. @indiatvnews @adgpi pic.twitter.com/PMbQD0a3yS
— Manish Prasad (@manishindiatv) October 23, 2019
General officer commanding of 21st Core, Lieutenant Yogendra Dimri, will review the exercise on November 15. The finale of this exercise will be at Pokhran Field Firing Range, Jaisalmer between November 29 and December 4. It will be attended by defence minister Rajnath Singh, the army chief General Bipin Rawat and other senior officers of the Indian Army and IAF.
For the first time, the K-9 Vajras, Indian Army’s self-propelled howitzers, are displaying their firepower in the Sindhu Sudarshan exercise. Apart from K-9 Vajras, the Advanced Light Helicopters ‘Rudra’ and Pinaka MBRLs will also be demonstrated.
The exercise aims at rapid mobilisation of the Strike Corps and making speedy multiple offensives deep into enemy territory before the enemy has a chance to mobilise its own resources for a counter-attack or for offering a heavy resistance.
“All can be seen, all can be destroyed”, is the Army’s slogan for the exercise.
The tactics being rehearsed in this exercise will allow the Army formations to break through multiple obstacles in a restricted time frame.
The focus of the exercise will be on new and efficient ways of fighting a war in a synergised battlefield. The exercise is likely to see mechanised manoeuvres in an entire spectrum of a new generation of equipment, including major weapon platforms.
As far as the Army is concerned, the exercise will involve the mobilisation of its armoured and mechanized formations, artillery division, air defence elements along with other supporting arms and services, the sources said. The real-time streaming of data, including live video feed from the battlefield to the highest formation headquarters, will also be tested.
