SAPPERS FINALLY ARRIVE

UTKARSH SINGH RATHORE dispels the scepticism about the new Army Chief of India that he is not suitable for the job because of his background as an officer from the Corps of Engineers

- UTKARSH SINGH RATHORE

By the time this issue of the magazine comes out, India would have a new Army Chief in General Manoj Pande. At the time of writing, he was Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS), but his name had been approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) to take over the reins of 1.4 million-strong Indian Army from General Manoj Naravane on May 1. In doing so, he would be the first officer from the Corps of Engineers to be the twenty-ninth Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

Some critics find problems with General Pande's appointment because of his Corps of Engineers-background. But such criticisms are absolutely ridiculous and deserve to be treated with contempt.

The Indian Army Army is organised into 'Arms' and 'Services'. The arms component comprise of the armoured corps, infantry, artillery, army aviation, army air defence, corps of engineers, corps of signals, mechanised infantry and intelligence corps. The armoured corps, infantry and mechanised infantry are referred to as 'fighting arms' and the rest are called 'combat support arms', as these render support to the fighting arms in the battlefield.

The army medical corps, army service corps, corps of ordnance, corps of electronics and mechanical engineers and army dental corps constitutes the services, which look after the aspect of operational logistics.

The officers from the armoured corps, infantry and mechanised infantry are placed in the 'General Cadre' abnitio and on their selection command armoured/ mechanised/ infantry/ mountain brigades and higher formations due to their fighting arms background.