Dedicating a new brigade, Rudra, to the nation on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas (KVD), Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi said it would be capable of providing both logistical and combat support from a single location, as and when the need arises.
Speaking at the Drass-based Kargil War Memorial, the COAS said that the Indian Army is successfully facing current global challenges and is rapidly emerging as a dynamic, modern, and future-oriented force.
Elaborating on the Rudra Brigade, which received approval on Friday, the Army Chief said, “Rudra will integrate fighting arms such as infantry, mechanised infantry, armoured units, artillery, special forces, and unmanned aerial systems, all of which will receive specially designed logistics and combat support.”
Apart from the Rudra Brigade, the Indian Army has also formed an agile and lethal special strike force called ‘Bhairav’ Light Commando Unit, which is prepared to surprise the enemy on the borders.
“Firepower has been enhanced manifold with the induction of drone platoons in every infantry battalion. Artillery has also been further strengthened with Shaktiban regiments, equipped with drones, counter-drones, and loitering munitions. Every regiment will have a composite battery equipped with these facilities. The Army Air Defence is being equipped with indigenous missile systems.
Speaking about Operation Sindoor, which was launched by India on May 7 in response to the killing of 26 tourists in Pahalgam, the General said it sent a clear message to Pakistan and the perpetrators of terrorism that it will not be tolerated.
“Operation Sindoor was both a message to Pakistan and a response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which inflicted a deep wound on the entire nation. This time, India did not just mourn; it demonstrated that the response would be decisive,” he said.
Dubbing the swift action in the form of surgical strikes on terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir as the “new normal”, Dwivedi said, “With the trust of the people and the free hand given by the government, the Indian Army delivered a fitting surgical response. Any power that challenges India’s unity, integrity, and sovereignty—or seeks to harm its citizens—will face a strong response. This is the new normal for India.”
“The Pakistani action on May 8 and 9 was met with an effective response. Our Army Air Defence stood like an impregnable wall, which could not be breached by any missile or drone,” he added.