What Are The Various Types Of Units In The Territorial Army?

SSBCrackExams
August 22, 2021
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Hello Warriors, In this article, we are going to talk about the various units operational under Territorial Army. Presently the Territorial Army has a strength of approx fifty thousand personnel comprising 65 Departmental and Non Departmental units, having footprint through the length and breadth of the country.

Various units operational under Territorial Army:

Non-Departmental Units

Infantry battalion: There are 40 units affiliated to various regiments of the Indian Army
H&H TA: These battalions are based on the concept of sons of the soil
Engineer TA: These battalions are deployed for maintenance of the line of control

Departmental Units

Ecological TA: There are ten ecological TA battalions which are sponsored by various state governments. TA Battalions use technical expertise of the respective State Forest Department (SFD), for afforestation related activities, Soil Conservation to promote the environment.
Indian Oil Corporation: During national emergency and natural calamities these Territorial Army personnel are embodiment in which they are liable to perform the assigned duties. The TA personnel of these units perform the same task which they do in their parent department i.e. in IOC
Indian Railways: During national emergency and natural calamities these Territorial Army personnel are embodiment in which they are liable to perform the assigned duties. The TA personnel of these units perform the same task which they do in their parent department i.e. in Railways
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation: During national emergency and natural calamities this Territorial Army personnel are embodiment in which they are liable to perform the assigned duties. The TA personnel of these units perform the same task which they do in their parent department i.e. in ONGC

The Territorial Army initially had various types of units such as Armed Regt (TA), Infantry Battalion (TA), Air Defence (TA), Med Regt (TA), Engineers Field Park Coy (TA), Signal Regiment (TA), EME Workshop (TA), Coast Battery (TA), ASC GT Coy (TA), ASC Compo Pl (TA), AMC Field Ambulance (TA), by 1972 these units have either been disbanded or converted to Regular Army except Inf Bn (TA).

The Territorial Army is part of the Regular Army and its present role is to relieve the Regular Army from static duties and assist the civil administration in dealing with natural calamities and maintenance of essential services in situations where the life of the communities is affected or the Security of the Country is threatened and to provide units for Regulars Army as and when required.

TA Aspirants who are looking forward to joining the Territorial Army can read the official notification: Territorial Army 2022 Notification And Exam Date – Territorial Army Recruitment For Civilians

The Territorial Army in its current form came into being when the Territorial Army Act was enacted on Aug 18, 1948. Initially, the Territorial Army consisted of Infantry, Armoured Corps, Air Defence Artillery, Signals, Supply and other departmental units.

Presently the Territorial Army has a strength of approx. 40000 persons comprising of Departmental TA units such as Railway, IOC, ONGC, Telecommunication and General Hospital and the non Departmental TA units of Infantry Bn (TA) and Ecological Bn (TA) affiliated to various Infantry Regiments.

The TA units were actively involved in 1962, 1965 and 1971 operations. The “Terriers” have also taken part in OP-PAWAN in Srilanka, OP RAKSHAK in Punjab & J&K, OP RHINO and OP BAJRANG in North East in a most active manner. Departmental units came to the aid of the civil authorities during Industrial unrest and natural calamities, the most famous being the earthquake in Latoor (Maharastra), Uttarkashi in Garhwal Himalaya and the Super Cyclone in Orissa. The Ecological units have arrested man made environmental degradation by planting 2.5 crore trees over 20,000 hectare of land in Mussoori Hills & Pithoragarh (UP), Bikaner & Jaisalmer (Rajasthan) and ravines of Chambal in Madhya Pradesh.

Men of TA have taken an active part in various adventure activities, the famous one being scaling of Mt Tengchen Khang (6010 Mtr) in West Sikkim by Jt-Indo-British TA Mountaineering Expedition in May 98.

The officer and men of the Territorial Army have been decorated for their gallantry and distinguished services. So for they have earned 02 Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), 15 VSM, 05 Vir Chakra, 13 Sena Medal, 25 Mentioned-in-Despatches and 43 COAS commendation cards.

Many industrialists, politicians and eminent personalities have been members of the TA. The force also has the honour to appoint 11 officers as Hony ADC to the President of India.

Must Read: 20 Interesting Facts About Territorial Army