Know The Indian Army | A Basic Fact-file On The Organisation And Structure Of Infantry Regiments

Be it the icy glacier of Siachen, the dense jungles of the Northeast, the rugged terrain and lofty peaks of the Himalayas or even the simmering hot desert of the Thar, the infantry soldier is undeterred by all odds and stays vigilant 24*7 to act as our first line of defence along the frontiers of our nation

Indian Infantry Soldiers (Image: AFP/ Reuters)

The Indian Army is the land-bases forces of our Armed Forces, which is tasked with defending the land frontiers of our nation that are geographically located adjacent to our borders with our neighboring nations (Pakistan , China and Bangladesh). As one of the three wings of our Armed Forces, the Indian Army has a clear cut duty to defend our frontiers / border areas and thwart any war / infiltration aggression by the enemy with an aim to ensure national security and thereby maintain peace at all times.

ARMS To put it in very layman's language, the wings (Corps / Regiments)  of the Indian Army which are trained, equipped, and en-tasked to take part in active combat during any war / military confrontation with an enemy state are known as the 'Combat Arms'. 

The Arms are further split into Combat, support and technical arms.  The Infantry, Mechanised Infantry, Armoured Corps and Artillery form part of the main Combat Arms of Indian Army. The Army Air Defence, Corps Of Engineers, Corps of Signals and Army Aviation Corps form part of the Combat Support Arms.

INFANTRY The Infantry is one among the four major combat arms of the Indian Army.The other three being Armoured Corps, Mechanised Infantry and Artillery. The battle hardened Infantry regiments form the bulk of the Indian Army's combat arms composition.An Infantry regiment / battalion comprises of foot soldiers who are equipped with small arms (assault rifles, machine guns, grenades) to carry out combat /raids on foot, hold strategic positions / vantage points and defend posts, pickets and bunkers in forward areas right along the Line of Control (LoC), Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the International Border.

When on the offensive, they not only hold ground but also carry out charge on the enemy with their small to medium arms fire with assault rifles or machine guns fire, mortar shelling and throwing /  lobbing grenades on enemy positions.

Popularly known as the 'Queen of the Battle', the Infantry remains the highly understated but the most pivotal combat arm for armies around the world. While it's more more mechanized counterparts, the Armoured Corps (tanks) and the artillery (howitzers, missiles)  provide devastating firepower to unleash carnage on the key  enemy installations and garrison in the rear, the ultimate victory in any war is only accomplished when the daredevil infantryman lays claim or captures the enemy position and unfurls his battalion and nation's flag on that feature. The Infantry battalions are the first ones to get deployed in the battlefield and the last ones to come out of deep trenched war, only after the mission has been accomplished Be it the icy glacier of Siachen, the dense jungles of the Northeast, the rugged terrain and lofty peaks of the Himalayas or even the simmering hot desert of the Thar, the infantry soldier is undeterred by all odds and stays vigilant 24*7 to act as our first line of defence in the Indian Army's order of battle. While most of the infantry regiments of the Indian Army were raised during the pre-independence British era and have a glorious history of taking part in various world war campaigns, they have proved their sheer mettle, courage and valour by actively taking part in all of India's post independence wars both against Pakistan (1965 and 1971, 1999 Kargil) and China (1962). The infantry regiments have been at the fore-front in carrying out Counter Insurgency Operations in the Kashmir Valley for over two decades and have been highly successful in neutralizing many militants to restore peace and tranquility in the region. Being the first ones to take on the enemy and face their bullet, it is a well established fact that the gallant infantrymen of various regiments have won the most gallantry awards both during war and peace time. HERE IS A BASIC FACT FILE OF AN INFANTRY REGIMENT REGIMENTS AND THEIR BATTALIONS / UNIT The Indian Army's Infantry is made up of many regiments, each of which further comprises many battalions / units. The battalions are sequenced in a particular fashion, generally in order of when they were raised. For Eg - Regiments: Punjab Regiment, Kumaon Regiment, Gorkha Rifles, Rajputana Rifles

Battalions - For Ex: 1 Punjab (1st Battalion of Punjab Regiment), 3 Jat (3rd Battalion of Jat Regiment), 14 Madras (14th Battalion of Madras Regiment) STRENGTH AND STRUCTURE The battalion is further divided into four rifle companies, one headquarter company and at times a support company. An infantry battalion usually has a strength of 15-20 officers and 650-800 other ranks (JCOs, NCOs and ORs). RANK AND FILE An infantry battalion is commanded by an officer of the rank of a Colonel. He holds the appointment of Commanding Officer (CO) of the unit. Each company, with a strength of around 100-120 troops, is commanded by a Major-ranked officer or at times by even a captain. He is known as the Company Commander. The company is further divided into platoons and sections.

REGIMENTAL CENTRE Every infantry regiment has a regimental Centre where the recruits are trained in the basic aspects of soldering like firing, drill and physical fitness to turn them into battle ready soldiers. For Eg: Jat Regimental Centre (JRC) at Bareilly, Sikh Regiment Centre (SRC) at Ramgarh, Dogra Regimental Centre at Faizabad REGIMENTAL INSIGNIA Every infantry regiment has its own insignia which gives them a distinct identity of their own and differentiates them from other regiments.The insignia symbolizes the very culture, ethos and spirit of the regiment. Some Egs: The Lion Of Dogra Regiment, The Pair of Khukri of the Gorkha Rifles, The Rhino of Assam Regiment. and Garuda Bird of Brigade of Guards ..to illustrate a few examples.The regimental insignia is worn on the beret (cap) by the officers and other ranks of the regiment. BATTLE CRY Every regiment has its own Battle /War Cry which the officers and the troops roar out when the unit goes into the battlefield to face the enemy. It serves as a tool of motivation and camaraderie for the troops to fight as one entity for the honour of their unit and the Army. A few Eg: Jo Bole Sau Nihal Sat Ari Akal (Sikh and Punjab Regiment) , Jat Balwan Jai Bhagwan (Jat Regiment), Jai Mahakali Aayo Gorkhali (Gorkhas) Bolo Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Ki Jai (Maratha Light Infantry),  Veer Madrasi, Adi Kollu Adi Kollu! (Madras Regiment)

LIST OF INDIAN ARMY INFANTRY REGIMENTS

PARACHUTE REGIMENT

*Airborne Units, Special Forces Battalions

MECHANISED INFANTRY REGIMENT

(Infantry Battalions Of Various Regiments equipped and mechanised with armoured personnel vehicles for enhanced mobility and firepower during combat)

BRIGADE OF GUARDS

GREENADIERS

JAMMU AND KASHMIR RIFLES

JAMMU AND KASHMIR LIGHT INFANTRY (JAK LI) DOGRA REGIMENT PUNJAB REGIMENT SIKH REGIMENT SIKH LIGHT INFANTRY (SIKH LI) JAT REGIMENT RAJPUTANA RIFLES RAJPUT REGIMENT

MARATHA LIGHT INFANTRY (MLI) MAHAR REGIMENT MADRAS REGIMENT BIHAR REGIMENT GARHWAL RIFLES KUMAON REGIMENT

ASSAM REGIMENT NAGA REGIMENT

GORKHA RIFLES  (GR)

1 GORKHA RIFLES

3 GORKHA RIFLES

4 GORKHA RIFLES

5 GORKHA RIFLES

8 GORKHA RIFLES 9 GORKHA RIFLES 11 GORKHA RIFLES SCOUTS

LADAKH SCOUTS

DOGRA SCOUTS (AFFILIATED TO DOGRA REGIMENT)

SIKKIM SCOUTS (AFFILIATED TO 11 GORKHA RIFLES) ARUNACHAL SCOUTS (AFFILIATED TO ASSAM REGT) RASHTRIYA RIFLES (Affiliated To Infantry Regiments) *Regiments Listed Out In A Particular Order Taking Into Account The Regions (North To South, East To West) From Where They Draw Their Troops