Govt empowers Army Chief to call out every officer, enrolled person of Territorial Army. What it means

Amid heightened military tension between India and Pakistan, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has authorised the Chief of the Army Staff to call out every officer and enrolled person of the Territorial Army for essential guard duties or embodiment to support the regular army. 

The order, issued under Rule 33 of the Territorial Army Rules, 1948, enables full deployment to supplement the regular forces wherever required.

According to the official notification dated May 6, 2025, “Out of the existing 32 Infantry Battalions (Territorial Army), embodiment of 14 Infantry Battalions (Territorial Army) [has been approved] for deployment in the areas of Southern Command, Eastern Command, Western Command, Central Command, Northern Command, South Western Command, Andaman and Nicobar Command and Army Training Command (ARTRAC)."

The order clarifies that the embodiment will be carried out only if budgetary provisions exist or are made available through internal re-appropriations. In cases where units are deployed at the request of ministries other than the Ministry of Defence, the respective ministries will bear the cost. The directive will remain in effect for three years, from February 10, 2025, to February 9, 2028.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The order comes into force at a time when India is facing sustained cross-border provocations, including missile and drone attacks from Pakistan. There is heightened military activity following India's precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan under Operation Sindoor - undertaken to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed.

On the night of May 8-9, India repelled a massive wave of over 50 drones launched by Pakistan in what appeared to be a coordinated attempt to target at least 15 Indian military installations.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday chaired a high-level meeting at South Block in New Delhi to review the security situation along the western border and operational preparedness of the Indian Armed Forces.

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh and Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh attended the meeting.