Senior Army officers privy to the matter said there was a growing demand within serving officers and veterans in the Army to change the raising day of the corps given the role it played in World War II.

The Army’s first air defence battery was raised in Mumbai on 15 September 1940, according to official records.

“For many soldiers, it was an emotional issue. The deliberations on this began two years ago. The final approval, however, came through this year,” a senior Army officer told ThePrint on condition of anonymity.

Incidentally, the Corps of AAD did not celebrate the raising day on 10 January this year.

The day had been celebrated on 10 January since 1994 to mark the corps’ bifurcation from the Regiment of Artillery as an independent corps. It was earlier known as the Corps of Air Defence (AD) Artillery.

The officer quoted above added that many of those who served in the AAD, including the ones before 1994, felt that the raising day should be marked to honour its true valour embedded in history.

“It was decided that instead of celebrating bifurcation from an existing arm, it was more prudent to celebrate this date, as anti-aircraft batteries existed during World War II,” said a second Army officer, who too did not wish to be named.

The raising day of a unit holds significance to military personnel as it marks the unit’s operationalisation by integrating troops from all across.

This year, 15 September will mark the 81st raising day of the Corps of AAD.

This corps is tasked with defending India’s air space from low flying aerial strikes or attacks by enemy aircrafts and missiles, especially those below 5,000 feet, and protecting strategically located military installations like airfields, dams and ammunition depots.

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‘Became a truncated history’

Lt. Gen. Ram Pratap (Retd.), former director general of the Corps of AAD, said the move will be of huge significance to the Army, especially soldiers of the unit, as it would correct the impression of the unit’s age.

“It was increasingly felt that celebrating 10 January as the raising day of the corps was like truncating the illustrious history of AAD, since the first Air Defence battery was raised on 15 September 1940 and in October next year, the 26 Air Defence regiment (the oldest) was raised,” the Army veteran said.

While the Army website says the unit was raised on 14 September, Army officers maintained the correct date is 15 September.

Pratap said even when the AAD was bifurcated from the Regiment of Artillery in 1994, it was felt that a wrong message was going to the masses about the raising year and a correction was pertinent. He was commanding an AD unit at that time.

Maj. Gen. P.K. Saighal, who retired as the commandant of the Army Air Defence College, said another reason in consideration to make the change was the practical difficulties officers and veterans incurred due to its proximity to the Army Day celebrations on 15 January.

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The origin of the corps

According to the corps’ official records, the history of air defence artillery in India began in 1939, when the British Indian government felt the need to have an anti-aircraft defence in India.

In July 1940, at the behest of Sir Claude Auchinleck, the commander-in-chief of British Indian Armed Forces, the Anti Aircraft and Coastal Defence Wing was set up at Karachi for training of officers in anti-aircraft techniques.

In August 1940, the British War Office decided to create an anti-aircraft branch of Indian Artillery. The anti-aircraft units and training establishments began to be raised. Indian soldiers were posted to these establishments from the Regiment of Artillery and Infantry Units and later through fresh commission and enrollment.

On 15 September 1940, 1 Indian Anti Aircraft Technical Training Battery was raised at Colaba in Bombay (now Mumbai). It also included the nucleus of the first anti-aircraft unit of Indian Artillery – the ‘R’ (Royal) Heavy Anti Aircraft (HAA) Regiment.

With this nucleus, the ‘R’ HAA Regiment commenced its raising on 1 October 1940 at Colaba. The 1 Technical Training Battery moved from Colaba to Drigh Road, Karachi in December 1940, which was later expanded and renamed as Anti Aircraft Training Centre (AATC).

After the establishment of AATC and raising of the HAA Regiment, the 1st & 2nd Light Anti Aircraft (LAA) Regiments were raised and named ‘U’ Light Anti Aircraft Regiment and ‘S’ Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment.

The ‘R’ HAA Regiment later came to be known as 1 Indian Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment, ‘U’ Light Anti Aircraft Regiment became the 1 Indian Light Anti Aircraft Regiment and ‘S’ Light Anti Aircraft Regiment was renamed as 2 Indian Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment.

By 1943, there were a total of 33 anti-aircraft regiments, seven anti-aircraft brigade headquarters and three AATCs.

World War II role

The Indian anti-aircraft regiments served in various theatres during World War II, from Singapore in the Far East to Iraq in the Middle East. They played a crucial role in Hong Kong, Singapore-Malaya, Burma and in the Indian subcontinent during WW-II, the records show.

On 7 December 1941, when the Japanese landed its troops in Singapore, supported by air and naval power, the 1 Indian HAA Regiment that was deployed there was overwhelmed. It suffered heavy casualties but after downing several Japanese aircraft.

A total of 320 personnel of the regiment lost their lives in defending Malaya-Singapore. They were honoured with a memorial in Singapore, which stands as a testimony to the sacrifice of India’s first anti-aircraft unit.

“These names are all that remain of the Regiment as the 1st Indian Heavy Anti-Aircraft regiment was never raised again; dying as it were with the surrender on 15 February 1942; never to be resurrected,” Col. Mandeep Singh (Retd) wrote in Force magazine.

While 1 Indian HAA Regiment and 1 and 5 Light Anti Aircraft Batteries were defending the skies in Singapore-Malaya, the balance of Indian anti-aircraft regiments was employed in India and Burma against the Japanese onslaught.

These regiments defended allied forces in India and Burma from 1942 to 1945, and contributed immensely in the victory of allied forces in Burma while defending the subcontinent.

However, immediately after World War II ended, a large number of these units were disbanded. At the time of Partition, only two air defence artillery units — 2 LAA (Now 26 Air Defence Regiment) and 3 LAA (Now 27 Air Defence Missile Regiment) — were left with India, along with the Anti Aircraft Training School, show records.

After 1971, the erstwhile AD Artillery saw rapid modernisation with the induction of several latest weapon systems. It later participated in numerous operations in Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir, among others.

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The development comes at a time when another set of specialised units of the Army has captured strategic heights in the Southern Bank as part of precautionary deployment on its own side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), taking the Chinese by surprise.

Sources in the defence and security establishment told ThePrint that it was in this week that a “readjustment of deployment” was carried out and soldiers reached “heights” and established posts.

“These are precautionary deployments well within the Indian side of the LAC,” the source said.

“There is no point in sitting on the ground when the enemy is at the heights. It is readjustment of troop deployment,” the source added.

“Reports of Indian troops occupying heights at Finger 4 are not correct. As part of the precautionary deployment carried out on 30 August, some readjustments of our positions on the Northern Bank of Pangong Tso on our side of the LAC had also been carried out,” an Army source said.

As reported by ThePrint earlier on multiple occasions, Chinese had intruded into the Indian side of the LAC in the Northern Banks of the lake.China currently dominates areas between Finger 4 and Finger 8, a distance of about 8 km, which comes within the Indian side of the LAC.

Focus still on talks but India has ‘better bargaining power’ 

India had moved the specialised units to the Pangong Lake way back in late April and multiple plans were made. However, the focus remained on talks, which have not made progress since July as the Chinese refused to budge from their positions.

With talks not making any progress and China’s bid to capture more territory over the weekend in Southern Banks, the Army moved in and dominated heights within the Indian side of the LAC.

The soldiers were also working on reaching heights near the ridgelines of Finger 4 where the Chinese have camped even though they had pulled back some troops from the ground level to Finger 5.

Sources said that India has not been on the offensive, but is actually defending its interest in its own territory.

Sources indicated that the fresh developments in the Southern Bank give greater impetus for talks and resolving the issue by the Chinese, and that India now has “better bargaining power”.

This report has been updated to reflect the correct position of the Indian Army in the Northern Banks of Pangong Tso.

Also read: China took provocative action 31 August as talks were on, says India

The move comes in the wake of the recent posturing by the Indian and Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

According to government sources, the heights include the Rezang La and Reqin La, both dominating the Spanggur Gap and covering Patrol Points 27 to 31. They also include the dominating heights of Black Top, Hanan, Helmet, Gurung Hill, Gorkha Hill and Magar Hill among others.

Most of these heights and dominating terrain features were unoccupied or lightly held by Indian Army troops before the standoff with China in eastern Ladakh began in early May this year, the sources said.

Since then, some of these areas have been gradually reinforced, while others have been occupied in the last few days as Indian forces pre-empted PLA activity on the southern bank of the Pangong Tso to “thwart Chinese intentions to unilaterally change facts on ground”.

The move, the sources said, will work in favour of India in case of a trade-off of territory or while sitting across the table.

Eastern Ladakh has approximately 1,600 sq km of disputed area, of which around 350 sq km is in the south of Pangong Tso. Another 1,250 sq km is disputed in the areas north of the lake, including around 1,000 sq km in the Depsang plains.

Former 14 Corps commander Lt. Gen. P.J.S. Pannu (retd) earlier told ThePrint the southern bank gives the Indian troops an advantage in terms of monitoring the activities in the northern bank. “There has been a hardening of military posturing in the southern bank, too, by the Chinese, given that Indian troops hold certain significant heights in the region.”

Also read: China took provocative action 31 August as talks were on, says India

Situation remains tense

The situation along the LAC continues to remain tense with the Indian and Chinese troops facing each other well within small arms firing range.

Army Chief Gen M.M. Naravane left for a two-day visit to Leh Thursday to review the security situation and operational preparedness in Ladakh region.

As reported by ThePrint earlier, specialised units of the Indian Army have climbed up the heights, facing the ridgelines of Finger 4 in the northern banks of Pangong Tso where the Chinese had built posts in April.

China currently dominates areas between Finger 4 and Finger 8, a distance of about 8 km, which comes within the Indian side of the LAC.

Defence sources said close to three brigades of troops have been deployed in the south of Pangong Tso and additional acclimatised troops are available across eastern Ladakh for any subsequent challenges.

The sources told ThePrint that all troops are fully armed, with rocket launchers and mortars, other than tanks and artillery guns and surveillance equipment, deployed in their support.

Meanwhile, brigadier-level talks have been taking place between the two sides every day since Monday, but have remained inconclusive so far.

The meetings have hinged on the tactical aspects and rules of engagement of troops at the ground level, again to avoid face-offs or escalations.

Also read: Situation in eastern Ladakh still ‘sensitive’. China, India deploy tanks, additional troops

The review meeting was chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and attended by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Bipin Rawat, the three service chiefs and the Director General of Military Operations.

The meeting was held ahead of Rajnath Singh’s visit to Russia Wednesday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) defence ministers’ meet on 3 September. Chinese defence minister Wei Fenghe will also take part in the SCO meet, but government sources said no bilateral meeting is scheduled.

The security review meeting was important since Rajnath Singh will only be back in the country on 5 September.

Also read: Why southern bank of Pangong Tso is the new flashpoint in ia-China stand-off

What happened at the meeting?

Sources said the DGMO gave a detailed briefing on the situation in Ladakh, and possible scenarios were also discussed at the meeting.

“Necessary directions have been given to the armed forces. Indian forces have maintained a high operational alert and all necessary steps have been taken,” a source said, refusing to elaborate further on what transpired at the critical meet.

As reported by ThePrint, the situation in eastern Ladakh remains “sensitive”, with both China and India deploying tanks and additional troops as the Indian Army now dominates the entire southern bank of the Pangong Tso, just as the Chinese troops have done on the northern bank.

Planned meet with Russia

Sources also said that on his visit to Russia, Rajnath Singh will hold bilateral talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Shoygu.

Singh will also review the ongoing military projects with Russia, especially the emergency procurement of certain types of missiles and equipment.

As reported by ThePrint, India and Russia are also close to signing a deal for over 6 lakh AK-203 rifles, with the per-rifle price having finally been fixed.

Also read: ‘Indian troops violated the consensus’ — China claims India ‘trespassed’ LAC

Chandigarh, August 30

Punjab Chief Minister  Capt Amarinder Singh on Sunday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 50 lakh and a government job to a family member of Naib Subedar Rajwinder Singh, who was killed in unprovoked firing by Pakistan troops along the LoC in Rajouri.

The soldier of 1 Sikh Light Infantry unit was seriously injured in the firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. He later succumbed to the injuries.

Paying homage to the slain soldier and extending his sympathy to the bereaved family, the chief minister in a statement said that Rajwinder Singh was a brave and highly motivated soldier.

The nation will always remain indebted to him for his supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty, he said.

Rajwinder Singh, whose father late Havildar Jagir Singh also served in the army, hailed from Goindwal village of Tarn Taran district near Amritsar.

He is survived by his mother, wife Manpreet Kaur, son Jobanjeet Singh (16) and daughter Pawanpreet (15), a state government statement said. — PTI

A way forward could be to move beyond the concept of LAC as such in the areas of standoff and work on a concept of buffer zone in some areas that are without human population or obvious natural geomorphological features. This would mean going beyond the traditional ‘border line’ approach to a method of delimiting the disputed ‘border belt’.

New Delhi, August 30

Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his monthly radio address “Mann ki Baat” on Sunday lauded the country’s canine brigade and specifically mentioned about two dogs — “Sophie” and “Vida”. The two brave dogs were awarded the Chief of Army Staff’s Commendation Cards on August 15.

Sophie and Vida received this honour because they performed their duties diligently while protecting their country, the PM said.

Military sources said Vida, belonging to an Army dog unit under Udhampur-headquartered Northern Command, was instrumental in the timely detection of five mines and one grenade buried underground, preventing possible casualties and injuries to soldiers.

Sophie of the Special Frontier Force (bomb disposal squad) saved lives by sniffing out the presence of initiator/accelerant which could have been hastily used to fabricate an IED (improvised explosive device), they said.

“Such canines have played a very important role in thwarting numerous bomb blasts and terrorist conspiracies,” PM Modi said.

In the past one year, Army dogs have contributed to 53 successful missions for the Indian Army, including tracking of terrorists and recovering individuals from snow-bound areas. The PM also exhorted those planning to raise a pet dog to adopt one from the Indian breeds, saying they are “very good and capable”. — TNS

New Delhi, August 30

Eighty years after the first unit of the Army Air Defence (AAD) was raised during the British rule in Mumbai, the Corps of the AAD has decided to change its Raising Day to match it with the date the unit was raised by the British.

The AAD will now observe its Raising Day on September 15, instead of January 10.

It was on January 10, 1989, that the Corps AAD was bifurcated from the Corps Artillery and was formed as a separate unit.

In July 1940, Sir Claude Auchinleck, commander-in-chief of the British Indian Armed Forces, took a decision to raise anti-aircraft units in India with Indian troops.

On 15 September, 1940, a group of British officers under Major RA Ronald raised the 1st Technical Training Battery. This group formed the nucleus of the 1st Indian anti-air regiment at Colaba, Mumbai. Immediately, a unit was dispatched to defend oilfields in Digboi, Assam. The remaining troops sailed to Malaya and Singapore to protect assets against the anticipated Japanese onslaught.

In the last days of the World War II (1939-45), the British army overran Burma in May 5, 1945. The Indian anti-aircraft regiments played role in keeping the air space clear and won gallantry awards. The heaviest concentration of the anti-aircraft guns in the British Army outside Britain was with the Indian command.

The AAD had played an active role during the 1965, 1971 and Kargil wars. — TNS