Army Set To Raise First Integrated Battle Groups Next Month Under Mountain Strike Corps

Published 29 June 2026 · india

Army Set To Raise First Integrated Battle Groups Next Month Under Mountain Strike Corps Published By, Last Updated: June 29, 2026, 08:10 IST Under the

Army Set To Raise First Integrated Battle Groups Next Month Under Mountain Strike Corps Published By, Last Updated: June 29, 2026, 08:10 IST Under the restructuring plan, the XVII Corps will have four IBGs along with a dedicated fire support group. Each of these five formations will be headed by a Major General. Rapid Read (Representative Image) The Army is expected to operationalise its first Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) by next month, marking a major structural shift aimed at creating agile, self-contained combat formations for rapid deployment in mountainous terrain, The Indian Express has learnt. According to sources familiar with the development, the first IBGs will be carved out of the Panagarh-based XVII Corps, the Army’s mountain strike corps tasked with operations along the China front. The original plan envisaged raising four IBGs under the XVII Corps’ two divisions, the 59 Division and the 23 Division, by September. However, sources said the timeline has now been advanced, with the formations likely to become operational from July 1. The Indian Express had first reported in January that the Army’s long-pending plan to create IBGs had gathered momentum and was nearing implementation.

Under the restructuring plan, the XVII Corps will have four IBGs along with a dedicated fire support group. Each of these five formations will be headed by a Major General. Every IBG will comprise more than 5,000 personnel drawn from 12 to 13 units. A Brigadier-rank officer is expected to serve as the Chief Operations Officer of each group. While the four IBGs will be raised from the corps’ two divisions, the fire support group, consisting of artillery platforms, is likely to function directly under the corps headquarters. The Army’s newly created Divyastra batteries may also be placed under this formation. Each IBG will include infantry battalions, artillery regiments, units from the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME), Combat Engineers, the Army Service Corps and a field hospital, making the formations largely self-sufficient. Designed for operations in mountainous regions, the IBGs are intended to enable faster deployment by eliminating the need to mobilise an entire corps before launching operations. The creation of IBGs is part of the Army’s broader restructuring initiative, which also includes raising Bhairav battalions, Rudra brigades, Divyastra batteries and Shaktibaan units. Unlike the IBGs, the Rudra brigades, commanded by Brigadiers, will continue to depend on their parent divisions for additional support.