Indian Army Division Prepares for Desert Exercise

[foxhound]

ref:Indian Army Division Prepares for Desert Exercise - Defense News

Salaam....

Indian Army Division Prepares for Desert ExerciseBy VIVEK RAGHUVANSHI

Published: 21 Apr 2011 14:11 NEW DELHI - Some 15,000 Indian troops - a full division of the Army - will go next month to the Rajasthan desert, along the Indo-Pakistani border, for a ground exercise that will include armored columns, tanks, mechanized vehicles and artillery.

The exercise will test the Indian Army's ability to respond swiftly to attacks in extreme heat. The Army's 2004 doctrine states that future wars are expected to be swift and brief so that battlefield objectives can be accomplished before the nuclear threshold is crossed, an Indian Army official said.

The service also will fine-tune its use of network-centric warfare systems, which integrate soldiers on the ground with the central command, the Army official said.

Exercise participants will include elite troops.

Defence Minister A.K. Antony is expected to witness part of the land exercises, which will begin during the first week of May.

In April 2010, the Indian Army held similar exercises in the Rajasthan desert, which were immediately followed by Pakistani Army ground exercises held along the border.

The neighboring rivals customarily inform each other in advance of planned exercises.

 

[SR 71 Blackbird]

^ You have one of the best signatures in the forum.

 

[SR 71 Blackbird]

ref:Indian Army Division Prepares for Desert Exercise - Defense News

Salaam....

Indian Army Division Prepares for Desert ExerciseBy VIVEK RAGHUVANSHI

Published: 21 Apr 2011 14:11 NEW DELHI - Some 15,000 Indian troops - a full division of the Army - will go next month to the Rajasthan desert, along the Indo-Pakistani border, for a ground exercise that will include armored columns, tanks, mechanized vehicles and artillery.

The exercise will test the Indian Army's ability to respond swiftly to attacks in extreme heat. The Army's 2004 doctrine states that future wars are expected to be swift and brief so that battlefield objectives can be accomplished before the nuclear threshold is crossed, an Indian Army official said.

The service also will fine-tune its use of network-centric warfare systems, which integrate soldiers on the ground with the central command, the Army official said.

Exercise participants will include elite troops.

Defence Minister A.K. Antony is expected to witness part of the land exercises, which will begin during the first week of May.

In April 2010, the Indian Army held similar exercises in the Rajasthan desert, which were immediately followed by Pakistani Army ground exercises held along the border.

The neighboring rivals customarily inform each other in advance of planned exercises.

It will also include electronic warfare.

 

[Abingdonboy]

ref:Indian Army Division Prepares for Desert Exercise - Defense News

Salaam....

Indian Army Division Prepares for Desert ExerciseBy VIVEK RAGHUVANSHI

Published: 21 Apr 2011 14:11 NEW DELHI - Some 15,000 Indian troops - a full division of the Army - will go next month to the Rajasthan desert, along the Indo-Pakistani border, for a ground exercise that will include armored columns, tanks, mechanized vehicles and artillery.

The exercise will test the Indian Army's ability to respond swiftly to attacks in extreme heat. The Army's 2004 doctrine states that future wars are expected to be swift and brief so that battlefield objectives can be accomplished before the nuclear threshold is crossed, an Indian Army official said.

The service also will fine-tune its use of network-centric warfare systems, which integrate soldiers on the ground with the central command, the Army official said.

Exercise participants will include elite troops.

Defence Minister A.K. Antony is expected to witness part of the land exercises, which will begin during the first week of May.

In April 2010, the Indian Army held similar exercises in the Rajasthan desert, which were immediately followed by Pakistani Army ground exercises held along the border.

The neighboring rivals customarily inform each other in advance of planned exercises.

Special Forces right?

 

[foxhound]

ref:Indian Army to Conduct Vijaya Bhava War Games in Rajasthan | India Defence

Indian Army to Conduct Vijaya Bhava War Games in Rajasthan

To practice its war-fighting concepts and doctrines, the Indian Army will hold a massive war-game codenamed 'Vijaya Bhava' along the Pakistan border in first week of May. "The Division-level (around 15,000 troops) exercise would be held in the deserts of Western Rajasthan where the elements of the elite 2 Strike Corps and other formations will take part," Army sources said.

Sources said the exercise would be held "well inside" the border where all fighting arms of the Indian Army including the artillery, armored columns including tanks and mechanized vehicles will take part.

As part of war-fighting arrangements, the Indian Army has put its three Strike Corps, which are supposed to strike and enter enemy territories in case of war, under three different commands.

The Army will evolve and practice battlefield tactics for different warfare scenarios for a conventional conflict with the adversaries. Defence Minister A K Antony will also visit the area of exercise in Rajasthan.

In the aftermath of Operation Parakram in 2001, the Indian Army has evolved a doctrine which calls for a rapid and quite mobilization of troops to the fronts from hinterland and continuous efforts have been made to cut the time taken for movement of formations.

 

[rajusri]

It will also include electronic warfare.

What electronic warfare will participate?

 

[foxhound]

What electronic warfare will participate?

I think the following may help....

ref:Exclusive: India's jt strategy for army, air, navy - Rediff.com India News

India's new battle plan: Missile defence, e-warfare and moreLast updated on: January 12, 2011 18:25 IST

The idea is to eliminate duplication among the 3 forces and to keep the overlaps in capability development to a minimum, says RS Chauhan

At the headquarters of the Integrated Defence Staff, perhaps India's [ Images ] only truly tri-service think-thank, there's a new focus: develop joint capabilities among the three armed forces to meet existing and emerging security threats in the next quarter century.

Leading the new initiative will be Vice Admiral DK Joshi, who took over as chief of IDS on December 31, 2010. Before replacing Air Marshal SC Mukul, Vice Adm Joshi was commander-in-chief of the tri-service Andaman and Nicobar Command.

The IDS, which came into existence after the 1999 Kargil [ Images ] conflict, has drawn up a 15-year 'Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap,' identifying the key areas in which India will have to develop 'jointness' among the three services to achieve maximum synergy.

The focus, according to IDS, should be on developing/enhancing capabilities to boost: special forces, space warfare, key enablers for military diplomacy in the IOR (Indian Ocean Region), Out of Area Contingency operations, Strategic Intervention/Disaster Relief's Operations Capability and deterrence potential.

The idea, according to a strategic expert who has worked with the IDS, is: "to develop joint capabilities to ensure that an optimum balance is achieved which would provide the Indian Armed Forces and the nation the capability to shape the environment and create dependencies in our area of interest."

Accordingly, the IDS has drawn up a timeline to achieve synergy and compatibility among the three services in several key areas. For instance, the emphasis on acquiring 'Information Superiority' which encompasses the capabilities of intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) and command, control, communications and computers (C4) to acquire and assimilate information needed to dominate and neutralise the adversary and effectively employ own forces.

'This will require IS to include the capability for near real-time awareness of the locations and activities of both own and enemy forces throughout the battle space. It also includes a seamless, robust C4 network connecting all own forces to provide a common picture of the battle space. The capability of information warfare is also needed to affect enemy information systems while protecting one's own,' the IDS document says.

An important element in developing information superiority, according to IDS, is to develop the capability of waging electronic warfare which essentially means 'the capability to disrupt and degrade an enemy's defences and protect our own through the use of the electromagnetic spectrum including directed energy systems'.

Another focus area is area missile defence. The document says: 'Joint area missile defence is the capability to use AD (air defence) assets of the three services in conjunction with the surveillance sensors of other agencies to detect track, acquire and destroy incoming theatre ballistic and cruise missiles'.

In the post 26/11 scenario, when India's inadequacies were exposed by 10 gun-toting terrorists in Mumbai [ Images ], the IDS feels there is further scope to enhance and hone the capability to launch what is called 'Military Operations in Built-Up Areas (MOBUA).'

The capability to undertake operations in built-up areas so as to achieve military objectives with minimum casualties and collateral damage includes the appropriate precision weapons as also non-lethal weapons, surveillance sensors, navigation means and communication systems that are effective in confined, built-up urban areas.

And finally, the IDS document is to develop an effective ability to counter the threats posed by the nuclear, chemical and biological warfare capability available in the neighbourhood.

'There is thus a need to provide our forces with nuclear, chemical and biological warfare defence and protection. The requirement is to enhance joint warfighting capability so that our forces are capable of operating in an NBC environment both for offensive and defensive missions,' the document says.

Experts say while the three services have their own specific doctrines to meet the future security challenges, the IDS is essentially trying to eliminate duplication and keep the overlaps in capability development to a minimum and thereby achieve synergy.

The key, however, is to translate these plans into operational capabilities in a given time.
RS Chauhan in New Delhi