Outlook
Outlook
- In 2001-02, a study commissioned by defence minister Jaswant Singh sought urgent modernisation of the existing five SF battalions. The cost for the proposal was pegged at nearly Rs 1,100 crore.
- In 2004, army HQ, without MoD's clearance for expansion, ordered conversion of two more parachute battalions to the special forces role. As a result, the 3rd and 4th battalions of the Parachute regiment were hastily converted but the defence ministry continues to hold back the fiscal sanction required for it. All officers and troops serving in SF battalions are entitled to Rs 3,000 to Rs 7,000 as a special monthly allowance. However, the defence ministry has decided to hold back this pay for these two battalions.
- Refusing to learn its lesson from past experience, army HQ quietly passed another order, in January 2005, that three more battalions—the 5th, 6th and 7th Parachute battalions—be also converted. However, this time round, the order was sent only to two formations—the Agra-based 50 Independent Parachute brigade and the Parachute Regimental Centre in Bangalore. The defence ministry was purposely kept out of the loop.
- The move flew in the face of recommendations made by at least three army chiefs. In 2001-02, army chief General S. Padmanabhan had rejected a proposal for further expansion. His successor, General N.C. Vij, also put it on file that all proposed expansion of the elite special forces be deferred "till the end of the 10th plan", around 2008. Finally, the present chief, General J.J. Singh, also concurred with his predecessors and agreed that the existing force had to be modernised before any further expansion.
- The force should focus on surgical small team operations, using surprise as an important factor. It must think and act aggressively.
- It should be a joint force in areas like concept, organisation, equipping, training, planning and operating. In the interim, they should be inter-operable with any of the three services.
Outlook
