Rudra All-Arms Brigade: Revolutionising military power in India

THE FOUNDATION of a new all-arms brigade of India was announced by General Upendra Dwivedi, the Chief of Army Staff, on the 26th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas at the Kargil War Memorial in Drass, and was named Rudra.

- PROF (DR) DK PANDEY

The Rudra Brigade is a paradigm shift in military organisation as various combat arms are brought together into a single operational unit. It represents a new strategic shift in the evolution of the historical single-arm brigade system to a multi-domain combat formation that is can effectively respond to the realities of the modern warfare environment.

Structural Specifications: The various vital components of the planned structure are appended below:

a) Strength of personnel: The force will have about 3,000 to 4,000 personnel.

b) Organisational Structure: A brigadier, who is a one-star officer, will lead the command to ensure an efficient decision-making process and smooth operations.

c) Combat components: The force will have a wide range of combat elements such as infantry, mechanised infantry, armoured divisions, artillery, special operations forces, and unmanned aerial Vehicles (UAVs) allowing the force to engage in a variety of ways.

d) Support systems: A customised logistical and combat support system will be introduced to increase operational preparation and maintenance.

e) Deployment capability: The unit is to be deployed in a short window of 12 to 48 hours and is capable of responding to the emerging operational needs promptly.

The use of two infantry brigades is the beginning of a significant restructuring in the military structure. The Rudra formation differs in that it does not focus on arm-specific brigades, instead integrating various combat arms to provide operational flexibility and support integrated warfare.