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The Territorial Army

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Created: 12 October 2006
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 Every Territorial is twice a citizen, once when he does his ordinary job and the second time when he dons his uniform and plays his part in defence - Field Marshal William Joseph Slim, 1st Viscount Slim, KG, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, GBE, DSO, MC.

We need and value the commitment of the many thousands of individuals who volunteer to defend the country from internal and external threat in addition to pursuing careers and interests in civilian life - General Joginder Jaswant Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC.

The Territorial Army (TA) is a voluntary part-time civilian force which plays a useful role in the defence of the country. It provides an opportunity to civilians to receive military training and also provides the country with a reserve force that can assist the Regular Army during operations, whenever required. The Territorial Army Act 1948 was passed by the Indian Parliament resulting in the constitution of the present Territorial Army. Since its inception on 09 October 1949, it has rendered valuable service, both in times of war and during internal disturbances.

The role of the Territorial Army is:

  • To relieve the Regular Army of static duties and support the civil power if required.
  • To provide units for coastal defence and anti-aircraft defence of the country.
  • To provide units of the regular army when required.

The TA is composed of all arms and services - Infantry, artillery, engineers, signals, service corps, medical and ordnance. It is organised into two different units - provincial and urban. Urban units are raised in big towns and personnel undergo weekly training. To encourage participation of the villagers also the other type of units enrol personnel from the rural areas. Two months annual training camps are held for such people so that they are free to attend to their vocation during the rest of the year. Both in the event of a war and an emergency, the TA is embodied according to requirements. On such occasions the units are on the same footing as the Regular Army for all purposes including pay and allowances for the personnel. The TA personnel are given additional facilities for joining the Regular Army commissions and a certain percentage of these vacancies are reserved at the Military Academy.

Training teams are organised all over the country to impart basic military training to all able bodied citizens of the country between the ages of 18 to 40 years with a view to making them disciplined & self-reliant and to instill in them a desire for a national service. During a period of one month they are also given rifle training. At the end of the camps trainees are given certificates, but they have no liability for active service. The TA consists of Departmental and Non-Departmental units. Departmental TA units are raised from amongst the employees of government departments and public sector undertakings. There are also ecological battalions known as the Eco-Task Forces, which come under the Departmental TA units

   
A Territorial Army contingent participating in Republic Day Parade. Shri C Rajagopalachari, Governor General of India, inspecting the Guard of Honour of a Territorial Army unit. Keeping a vigil in an insurgency affected area. Territorial Army personnel undergoing training.
   

As a result of internal disturbances/terrorist activities in Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir and other states and the prevailing conditions along the northern and western borders, the TA has, of late been called upon to play an active role in assisting the Regular Army formations in these areas. As a result, all the 25 TA Infantry Battalions have been embodied since 1990-91, for varying periods. The TA's Eco Task Forces have continued their excellent work of environmental upgradation of the degraded areas in Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. In consultation with the Ministry of Environment & Forests, several steps aimed at reducing the cost of these Eco Task Forces, without actually lowering their output or efficiency, have been taken up. For their gallantry and distinguished services, TA personnel have been honoured with two Ati Vishist Seva Medals awards, 22 Vishist Seva Medal awards, five Vir Chakra medals, 23 Sena Medal awards and a number of other decorations.

TA Group Headquarters

  • TA GP HQ, Southern Command - Pune
  • TA GP HQ, Eastern Command - Calcutta
  • TA GP HQ, Western Command - Chandigarh
  • TA GP HQ, Central Command - Lucknow
  • Dir DSC, Northern Command - c/o 56 APO

Departmental Units

  1. 968 Railway Engineer Regiment (TA) - Ludhiana
  2. 969 Railway Engineer Regiment (TA) - Jamalpur
  3. 970 Railway Engineer Regiment (TA) - Jhansi
  4. 971 Railway Engineer Regiment (TA) - Delhi
  5. 972 Railway Engineer Regiment (TA) - Muzaffarpur
  6. 1031 Railway Engineer Regiment (TA) - Kota
  7. 1032 Railway Engineer Regiment (TA) - Adra
  8. 1034 Railway Engineer Regiment (TA) - Banglore
  9. 1101 Railway Engineer Regiment (TA) - Chandigarh
  10. 1103 Railway Engineer Regiment (TA) - Kota
  11. 1105 Railway Engineer Regiment (TA) - Secunderabad
  12. 1051 Railway Engineer Regiment (TA) - Ludhiana
  13. 1052 Railway Engineer Regiment (TA) - Adra
  14. General Hospital (TA) (500 Beds) - Kolkata
  15. General Hospital (TA) (400 Beds) - Allahabad
  16. General Hospital (TA) (300 Beds) - Jaipur
  17. General Hospital (TA) (300 Beds) - Patiala
  18. General Hospital (TA) (300 Beds) - Gauhati
  19. General Hospital (TA) (300 Beds) - Ahmadabad
  20. General Hospital (TA) (400 Beds) - Rothak
  21. 414 ASC Battalion Mktg (TA) - Kamptee
  22. 777 Signal Regiment Telecom (TA) - Mhow
  23. 801 Engineer Regiment R&P (TA) - Agra
  24. 811 Engineer Regiment ONGC (TA) - Baroda

Non-Departmental Units

  1. 101 Infantry Battalion (TA) Maratha LI - Pune
  2. 102 Infantry Battalion (TA) Punjab - Kalka
  3. 103 Infantry Battalion (TA) Sikh LI - Ludhiana
  4. 105 Infantry Battalion (TA) Rajputana Rifles - Delhi Cantonment
  5. 106 Infantry Battalion (TA) Para - Banglore
  6. 107 Infantry Battalion (TA) 11 Gorkha Rifles - Darjeeling
  7. 108 Infantry Battalion (TA) Mahar - Saugor
  8. 109 Infantry Battalion (TA) Maratha LI - Kolhapur
  9. 110 Infantry Battalion (TA) Madras - Coimbatore
  10. 111 Infantry Battalion (TA) Kumaon - Allahabad
  11. 112 Infantry Battalion (TA) Dogra - Jalandhar
  12. 113 Infantry Battalion (TA) Rajput - Calcutta
  13. 114 Infantry Battalion (TA) Jat - Fatehgarh
  14. 115 Infantry Battalion (TA) Mahar - Belgaum
  15. 116 Infantry Battalion (TA) Para - Deolali
  16. 117 Infantry Battalion (TA) Guards - Tiruchi
  17. 118 Infantry Battalion (TA) Grenadiers - Nagpur
  18. 119 Infantry Battalion (TA) Assam - Shillong
  19. 120 Infantry Battalion (TA) Bihar - Bhubaneswar
  20. 121 Infantry Battalion (TA) Garhwal Rifles - Calcutta
  21. 122 Infantry Battalion (TA) Madras Cannanore
  22. 123 Infantry Battalion (TA) Grenadiers Jaipur
  23. 124 Infantry Battalion (TA) Sikh - New Delhi
  24. 125 Infantry Battalion (TA) Guards - Secunderabad
  25. 126 Infantry Battalion (TA) JAK Rifles - c/o 56 APO
  26. 150 Infantry Battalion (TA) Punjab - Delhi
  27. 151 Infantry Battalion (TA) Jat - Muzaffarpur
  28. 152 Infantry Battalion (TA) Sikh - Ludhiana
  29. 153 Infantry Battalion (TA) Dogra - Meerut
  30. 154 Infantry Battalion (TA) Bihar - Brichgunj (Port Balair)
  31. 155 Infantry Battalion (TA) JAK Rifles - Sujanpur
  32. 156 Infantry Battalion (TA) (H&H) Punjab - Rajouri
  33. 157 Infantry Battalion (TA) (H&H) Sikh - BD Bari
  34. 158 Infantry Battalion (TA) (H&H) Sikh LI - Janlot
  35. 159 Infantry Battalion (TA) (H&H) Dogra - Thalela
  36. 160 Infantry Battalion (TA) (H&H) JAK Rifles - Kupwara
  37. 161 Infantry Battalion (TA) (H&H) JAK LI - Baramula

Ecological Battalions

  1. 127 Infantry Battalion (TA) Garhwal Rifles Eco - Dehradun
  2. 128 Infantry Battalion (TA) Rajputana Rifles Eco - Bikaner
  3. 129 Infantry Battalion (TA) JAK LI Eco - Samba
  4. 130 Infantry Battalion (TA) Kumaon Eco - Pithoragarh
  5. 131 Infantry Battalion (TA) Rajput Eco - Gwalior
  6. 132 Infantry Battalion (TA) Eco - Bhatti Mines, Delhi
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