'Rudra, Bhairav, Shaktibaan': Army Ready For All-Arms Brigades, Exclusive Drone Units, Special Ops Battalions

Indian Army

The Indian Army is at the brink of a massive transformation and it is going to be all about playing to its traditional strengths combined with modern warfare – from all-arms brigades to exclusive drone units and brand new special forces-like battalions to lethal guns-and-drones combinations.

All of this – part of the army’s ‘Decade of Transformation’ (2023 to 2032) – was announced during Vijay Diwas on July 26 by the Chief of Army Staff. This is the first phase of this initiative, being implemented on the ground as India marks 79 years of independence.

Key elements include the introduction of concepts such as ‘Rudra’, ‘Bhairav’, ‘Shaktibaan’, and ‘Divyastra’ along with several other significant changes.

BHAIRAV BATTALIONS

According to sources, by the end of August, the Indian Army will have five Bhairav Battalions.

What is their primary role? Bhairav Battalions are lethal special forces units that will act as a bridge between the army’s elite special forces and regular infantry units.

What is the difference between the two? ‘Bhairav’, which literally means “the terrifying one" often used to refer to Hindu deity Shiva, are specialised battalions but with less strategic tasks so as to free up the elite special forces for high-priority missions.

They will serve as shock-and-awe troops, delivering rapid surprise strikes, cross-border raids, and tactical disruptions to enemy forces.

Similarly, efforts are being made to equip all infantry battalions with drone platoons by the end of August.

“The Indian Army today is effectively addressing contemporary challenges while rapidly advancing as a transformed, modern, and future-oriented force," Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi said during his Vijay Diwas address.

RUDRA BRIGADES

General Dwivedi mentioned the introduction of Rudra Brigades and Bhairav Battalions in his speech.

“Every infantry battalion now includes drone platoons, while the artillery’s lethality has been significantly enhanced through Divyastra Batteries and loitering munitions batteries. The Army Air Defence is being equipped with indigenous missile systems," he said.

‘Rudra’ are all-arms brigades incorporating soldiers from infantry, artillery and armoured corps. The army, in fact, has already converted two of its brigades into ‘Rudra’ with each having firepower and manpower.

‘SHAKTIBAAN’ AND ‘DIVYASTRA’

The concepts of ‘Shaktibaan’ (“arrow of power") and ‘Divyastra’ (“weapon of the divine") are being incorporated into the artillery on the ground.

Sources said in the first phase, at least five regiments of the artillery will have a ‘Divyastra’ battery each.

What are Divyastra batteries?

Divyastra batteries represent a shift toward integrating traditional artillery with advanced unmanned and precision-strike technologies to create more versatile, lethal formations suited for modern warfare, particularly along contested borders. These units will use a combination of drones, loitering munitions and guns.

“The primary goal of Divyastra batteries is to enhance the artillery’s firepower and operational effectiveness by enabling deep-strike capabilities, real-time target tracking, and precision engagement of both static and moving threats," an officer said.

What are Shaktibaan units?

Similarly, Shaktibaan units are specialised artillery regiments that are purely tech-driven, emphasising on drones and loitering munitions for “see-and-strike" missions that can hover over targets before attacking.

They are different from the hybrid Divyastra batteries in that they will not include conventional guns and could be called exclusive drone units.

The recent ‘Operation Sindoor’, the military’s retaliatory action to the Pahalgam terror attack, has displayed the Indian Army’s capabilities to the world. Other than the offensives, the defences too were impressive and experts believe that the army’s transformation will further enhance its warfighting capabilities.