Indo-Pak Conflict: With Territorial Army Activated, Spotlight Turns to Celebrity Soldiers Like Dhoni, Sachin

As tensions between India and Pakistan continue to escalate, the Central government has authorized the Chief of Army Staff to call upon members of the Territorial Army.
The Ministry of Defence issued an order to this effect under Rule 33 of the Territorial Army Rules, 1948. The Chief of Army Staff has now been empowered to call out every officer and enrolled member of the Territorial Army to supplement the regular army.

Out of the existing 32 Infantry Battalions of the Territorial Army, the Ministry of Defence has activated 14 battalions for deployment across various commands, including the Southern Command, Eastern Command, Western Command, Central Command, Northern Command, South Western Command, Andaman and Nicobar Command, and Army Training Command (ARTRAC).

As per the order, the embodiment of these units shall be carried out only if funds are available in the budget or have been made available through the re-appropriation of internal savings. If any units are embodied at the request of ministries other than the Ministry of Defence, the associated costs will be debited to the respective ministries and not included in the Defence Ministry’s budget.

This order will remain in effect for three years, from February 10, 2025, to February 9, 2028.

What is the Territorial Army?

The Territorial Army (TA) of India is a voluntary, part-time reserve force of the Indian Army. It is designed for citizens who are employed or self-employed and wish to contribute to national defence without taking up a full-time military career. Members undergo military training periodically and serve when needed, particularly during emergencies.

Indian citizens—male or female—between the ages of 18 and 42, who are medically and physically fit, and are either self-employed or employed in the public or private sector, are eligible to join the Territorial Army.

Famous Personalities in the Territorial Army

Several well-known individuals from sports, politics, and entertainment have been associated with the Territorial Army:

• MS Dhoni – Lieutenant Colonel, Parachute Regiment (TA)
• Kapil Dev – Honorary Lieutenant Colonel
• Abhinav Bindra – Honorary Lieutenant Colonel
• Sachin Tendulkar – Group Captain in the Indian Air Force
• Anurag Thakur – Commissioned officer in TA
• Sachin Pilot – Commissioned officer in TA
• Mohanlal – Honorary Lieutenant Colonel
• Nana Patekar – Honorary Captain

MS Dhoni, in particular, has undergone formal military training and served a two-week stint with the Indian Army in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.

Contributions of the Territorial Army

The Territorial Army has actively participated in several national security operations, including:

• The 1962, 1965, and 1971 wars
• The Kargil conflict
• Internal security duties
• Support during natural disasters like floods and earthquakes
• Election assistance and civil administration support