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Army chief announces ‘Rudra' brigade on Kargil Vijay Diwas. What is it?
Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi announced the new 'all-arms brigades' named 'Rudra' on Kargil Vijay Diwas, observed on Saturday.
He said the army is working towards becoming a 'future-oriented force' by setting up these all-arms brigades and powerful special forces units.
In his speech, he also introduced three new efforts to honour the soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the Kargil war with Pakistan.
The projects include an 'e-shradhanjali' app dedicated to martyrs, a QR code-based audio feature that shares Kargil war stories, and the 'Indus Viewpoint', which will let visitors explore the Batalik sector near the LoC to understand how soldiers live there.
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So, what exactly is the 'Rudra' brigade? And what else did the Army chief announce?
Let's take a look:
What is Indian Army's 'Rudra' brigade?
Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi announced the 'Rudra' brigade, which is essentially an 'all-arms brigade.'
'Today's Indian Army is not only successfully addressing current challenges but is also rapidly advancing as a transformative, modern, and future-oriented force. Under this, new all-arms brigades named 'Rudra' are being formed, and I approved it yesterday,' he said during the 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas ceremony at Dras in Kargil.
So, what will these 'Rudra' brigades consist of?
They will include a mix of infantry, mechanised infantry, armoured units, artillery, special forces, and unmanned aerial systems.
These will be backed by customised logistics and combat support, according to the Army chief.
#WATCH | Dras, Kargil | Addressing the 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations, Chief of Army Staff Gen Upendra Dwivedi says, "The forces that are conspiring to harm India's sovereignty, integrity and people, will be given a befitting reply in the future too, this is the new normal… pic.twitter.com/EeETvgBVAM — ANI (@ANI) July 26, 2025
He said, 'Similarly, agile and lethal special forces units, 'Bhairav' Light Commando Battalions, have been established to shock the enemy on the border.'
'Every infantry battalion now includes Drone Platoons, while artillery has enhanced its firepower manifold through 'Divyastra Batteries' and Loiter Munition Batteries. Army Air Defence is being equipped with indigenous missile systems. This will increase our force multifold, the Army chief added.
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Sources told CNN-News18 that two infantry brigades have already been restructured into Rudra Brigades.
Until now, the Army operated brigades based on individual arms, but the new Rudra brigades will bring together multiple arms under a single formation.
The 3 projects launched on Kargil Vijay Diwas
As part of the 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas, the Indian Army chief launched three projects, including a digital platform where citizens can offer 'e-shradhanjali' to martyrs.
The other two are a QR code-based audio gateway that shares stories from the 1999 Kargil war, and the 'Indus Viewpoint', which gives visitors a chance to travel up to the Line of Control (LoC) in the Batalik sector.
Kargil Vijay Diwas is observed every year on July 26. It celebrates India's victory in the Kargil conflict in 1999, when the Army completed Operation Vijay after nearly three months of fighting in extremely high-altitude locations such as Tololing and Tiger Hill.
An army officer told news agency PTI that the 'e-shradhanjali' project aims to raise awareness about the sacrifices made by soldiers and the challenges they faced while performing their duties.
Meanwhile, the QR code application works like an audio guide, where users can hear detailed accounts of the battles fought during the war with Pakistani forces in 1999.
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#WATCH | Kargil Vijay Diwas | Dras: Chief of Army Staff Gen Upendra Dwivedi lays wreath at the Kargil War Memorial to pay tribute to those who laid down their lives in the line of duty during the Kargil War in 1999.
Today marks the 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas. pic.twitter.com/qKpHPJnncb — ANI (@ANI) July 26, 2025
'The concept is similar to museums, where the visitors can listen to the details of the exhibits using earphones. Here, people will get to listen to the saga of courage, valour, bravery and sacrifice by the soldiers,' the officer said.
The third initiative, the Indus Viewpoint, lets visitors reach the LoC in the Batalik sector to better understand the conditions in which Indian soldiers serve.
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'This will give an idea to the visitors about the conditions in which soldiers serve, the difficulties and constant dangers they face on a day-to-day basis to ensure that the nation remains safe,' the officer added.
Batalik, located at over 10,000 feet, held key strategic value during the Kargil war as it sits between Kargil, Leh, and Baltistan.
Army chief on Operation Sindoor
Speaking about Operation Sindoor, General Upendra Dwivedi said that the strikes launched during the operation sent a strong message to Pakistan that terror supporters would not be spared.
He said the May 7 strikes were not just a counter-response to the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 civilians were killed, but a clear warning to Pakistan.
#WATCH | Dras, Kargil | Addressing the 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations, Chief of Army Staff Gen Upendra Dwivedi says, "We stand near Tiger Hill, Tololing and Point 4875, remembering the resolve and valour of the warriors... We salute those who sacrificed their lives so we… pic.twitter.com/F7AozRLXuk — ANI (@ANI) July 26, 2025
'India attained a decisive victory by effective targeting of terror infrastructure in Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. The army targeted the terrorist infrastructure and foiled the other aggressive moves of Pakistan to attain a decisive victory,' he said.
He also said that India responded to Pakistan's military actions between May 7 and 9 with 'measured and precise retaliation".
With inputs from agencies
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