Sikkim Scouts

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Sikkim Scouts
Sikkim Scouts Regimantal flag.jpg
Sikkim Scouts Regimental insignia and flag
Active2013–present
CountryFlag of India.svg  India
BranchFlag of Indian Army.svg  Indian Army
Type Infantry
Role Mountain warfare
SizeTwo battalions [1]

The Sikkim Scouts is a regiment of the Indian Army based in and recruited from the state of Sikkim. Raised in 2013 and made operational in 2015, it is the newest Indian Army regiment. The regiment was formed along the lines of the Ladakh Scouts and Arunachal Scouts, as it is similarly recruited from a mountainous border area and is dedicated to border defence and mountain warfare. Sikkim Scouts is affiliated with the 11th Gorkha Rifles, and uses its insignia and flag, with the addition of the words ‘Sikkim Scouts’. [2]

Contents

History

Sikkim became a state of India in 1975, after having been a British and then Indian protectorate for nearly a century. Even as a protectorate, Indian troops were stationed in Sikkim, because of the area's important role as a buffer zone against China, with which it shares a 222 km (138 miles) border. [3] [4] China did not clearly recognize Sikkim as an Indian state until the 2000s, [5] and continues to lay claim to what India refers to as the northernmost "Finger Area" of Sikkim. [6] The Sino-Indian War of 1962 saw some fighting on the Sikkimese border [6] [7] and from 1965 to 1967, Indian and Chinese forces clashed on the border, notably during the 1967 Chola incident. [8] [9] [10] More recently, there were small incursions and skirmishes around 2008. [11] [10] Several units of the Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police are stationed in Sikkim as of 2014. Historically, these troops have been drawn from other parts of India, and not from the local population. [4] [12]

Pawan Kumar Chamling, Chief Minister of Sikkim from the Sikkim Democratic Front, requested of the Ministry of Defence that the Sikkim Scouts regiment be formed, to provide positions for young men in Sikkim and since all other Himalayan border states had similar forces. (The Ladakh Scouts were formed in 1963, and the Arunachal Scouts in 2010, while other Himalayan states have dedicated border security battalions in regular regiments such as the Kumaon Regiment.) The ministry and the Indian Army supported Chamling's proposal, as it was in line with India's "sons of soil" policy to bolster her defence units by integrating locals into them, and on 6 December 2012, the proposal was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security. Officials stated at the time that the regiment would be formally established in mid-2015, after the initial recruits had been raised and trained. [13] The raising of the regiment was expected to cost some Rs 32.5 crore (US$5 million). The cost of maintaining the regiment was projected to be a slightly greater amount per year. [13] [14]

In March 2013, the first recruiting drives for the new regiment were held in Sikkim, which were expected to enrol roughly 500 candidates. [15] [16] Because of the popularity of tattoos among Sikkimese men, many candidates had to be rejected; the Ministry of Defence had issued a policy banning tattoos (other than religious symbols and names) for new recruits to the Indian military in 2011. [17]

The regiment was presented with a flag, and formally raised, by Army Vice Chief S. K. Singh at Lucknow on 24 May 2013. At the time, there were 319 Sikkimese recruits in the regiment, and a cadre from Gorkha regiments assembled to train the recruits. [12] [18] [19] The process of recruiting and training the regiment was completed in mid-2015. [1]

Organisation

The regiment was initially planned as one battalion. Its future expansion is limited by the small size of the population from which it recruits. The first battalion's strength planned strength is 934, comprising 28 commissioned officers, 44 junior commissioned officers and 862 jawans (other ranks). [13] A second battalion was being raised as of 2015. [1] The regiment is about 85% Sikkimese, drawing from a population of 612,000 with a large portion of military-age men. The relatives of veterans will be given priority for positions. [4]

The Sikkim Scouts is affiliated with the 11th Gorkha Rifles, and use their insignia and flag, with the addition of the words "Sikkim Scouts". [12]

Role

The soldiers of the Sikkim Scouts are trained in the tactics of mountain warfare. As the members of the regiment are mostly locals, they are expected to be fairly familiar with the skills needed to operate and survive in the mountainous terrain of Sikkim prior to their enlistment. Their training serves to instruct them in modern methods of warfare and instill military discipline. In an additional advantage to the Indian Army, they are able to obtain information from locals more easily, as they belong to the same culture and speak the same language. Indian Army commanders have expressed the sentiment that in the event of war, members of the Sikkim Scouts and other local regiments from the border would be ready to fight to the end for their home state. [13] [20]

The regiment will be tasked with surveilling and guarding the borders of Sikkim, especially the high mountain passes of the north-eastern border with China. [13] While other units of the Indian Army will continue to pass through Sikkim on a temporary (2–3 year) basis, as part of their rotation between different bases in India, the Sikkim Scouts is permanently stationed on the border, and its members will spend nearly their entire career in the state. [12]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sikkim</span> State in northeastern India

Sikkim is a state in northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Koshi Province of Nepal in the west, and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also close to the Siliguri Corridor, which borders Bangladesh. Sikkim is the least populous and second-smallest among the Indian states. Situated in the Eastern Himalaya, Sikkim is notable for its biodiversity, including alpine and subtropical climates, as well as being a host to Kangchenjunga, the highest peak in India and third-highest on Earth. Sikkim's capital and largest city is Gangtok. Almost 35% of the state is covered by Khangchendzonga National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gurkha</span> Indian and Nepalese national soldiers

The Gurkhas or Gorkhas, with the endonym Gorkhali, are soldiers native to the Indian subcontinent, chiefly residing within Nepal and some parts of North India.

Scout may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indo-Tibetan Border Police</span> Indian border guard for the Indo-Tibetan border

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is a central armed police force in India under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It is responsible for guarding India’s border with Tibet. It was formed aftermath of the Sino-Indian War of 1962.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Sikkim</span>

The history of Sikkim begins with the indigenous Lepcha's contact with early Tibetan settlers. Historically, Sikkim was a sovereign Monarchical State in the eastern Himalayas. Later a protectorate of India followed by a merger with India and official recognition as a state of India. Lepchas were the main inhabitants as well as the Rulers of the land up to 1641. Lepchas are generally considered to be the first people, Indigenous to Sikkim also includes Darjeeling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">11th Gorkha Rifles</span> Regiment of the Indian Army

The 11 Gorkha Rifles is a Gorkha regiment of the Indian Army that was re-raised after independence. The regiment consists of primarily the Kirant Tribes Rai, Limbu, Yakkha, Sunuwar of Eastern Nepal, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Dooars of West Bengal, Sikkim and other parts of Northeast India. Though it is considered to be the youngest of the Gorkha regiments its lineage is as long as those of the 7th Gurkha Rifles and 10th Gurkha Rifles.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special Frontier Force</span> Special covert unit of Indian armed forces

The Special Frontier Force (SFF) is a paramilitary Indian special forces unit composed primarily of Tibetan refugees and Gurkhas in India. It was established after the Sino-Indian War of 1962 to primarily conduct covert operations behind the Chinese lines in case of another war with China. Later it increased in size and scope of operations.

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The Assam Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. The regiment consists of 25 battalions: 15 regular battalions, 3 Rashtriya Rifles battalions, 5 Territorial Army battalions & 2 Arunachal Scouts battalions. It recruits exclusively from all the eight Northeastern states of India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sino-Indian border dispute</span> Border dispute between China and India

The Sino–Indian border dispute is an ongoing territorial dispute over the sovereignty of two relatively large, and several smaller, separated pieces of territory between China and India. The territorial disputes between the two countries result from the historical consequences of colonialism in Asia and the lack of clear historical boundary demarcations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sashastra Seema Bal</span> Indian Nepal and Bhutan border force

Sashastra Seema Bal is a central armed police force in India under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It is responsible for guarding India’s borders with Nepal and Bhutan.

The Arunachal Scouts is a mountain infantry regiment of the Indian army based in Arunachal Pradesh. This unit specializes in cold-weather warfare and mountain warfare, counterinsurgency, jungle warfare, long-range penetration, maneuver warfare, raiding with small unit tactics, and reconnaissance in difficult to reach and dangerous terrain. The regiment was established with the purpose of counterinsurgency and defending the Indian-Chinese border in Arunachal Pradesh. A large proportion of the Arunachal Scouts are local to the region in which they work. Previously Part of the Indian Army’s Assam Regiment, the Arunachal Scouts consist of two battalions, the first raised in 2010 and second in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ladakh Scouts</span> Infantry regiment of the Indian Army

The Ladakh Scouts is a mountain infantry regiment of the Indian Army, nicknamed as the "Snow Warriors" or "Snow Leopards". The regiment specializes in cold-weather warfare and mountain warfare, long-range penetration, maneuver warfare, raiding with small unit tactics, and reconnaissance in difficult to reach and dangerous terrain. Its primary role is to guard India's borders in the high altitudes of the Union Territory of Ladakh.

Officers and soldiers of the Indian Army wear cap badges on their beret or peaked caps. The design is based on the regimental insignia or coat of arms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India–China Border Roads</span> Indian government project to develop border roads

India–China Border Roads is a Government of India project for developing infrastructure along the Sino-Indian border by constructing strategic roads, including bridges and tunnels. The ICBR project is largely in response to Chinese infrastructure development along the borderlands with India. Several entities are responsible for constructing ICBR, including Border Roads Organisation (BRO) which handles the bulk of the ICBR road construction work, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MoDNER), Central Public Works Department (CPWD), public works departments of respective states and others. At least 67 per cent of the road network assigned to BRO falls under ICBR.

The Five Fingers of Tibet was a Chinese territorial claim to the Himalayan region bordering India attributed to Mao Zedong. It considers Tibet to be China's right hand palm, with five fingers on its periphery: Ladakh, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, and North-East Frontier Agency that are considered China's responsibility to "liberate". The policy however has never been discussed in official Chinese public statements and is now dormant, but concerns have often been raised over its possible continued existence or revival.

Scouts in the British Empire meant a locally raised standing paramilitary, not part of the British Army or British Indian Army, under the command of a local Chief or commissioner, but with attached British officers. Scouts were internal and border security units composed of locals, officered by British officers.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Inderjit, Rao (May 2015). "Will finish building China border infrastructure by 2018". The Indian Express.
  2. ↑ "why does cds general bipin rawat always-wear sikkim scouts tab". 9 January 2020.www.eastmojo.com
  3. ↑ Tocci, Nathalie, ed. (2008). Who is a Normative Foreign Policy Actor?: The European Union and Its Global Partners. Centre for European Policy Studies. pp. 235–237. ISBN   978-9290797791.
  4. 1 2 3 Giri, Pramod (2 October 2012). "Army to raise Sikkim Scouts battalion for Chinese border". Hindustan Times (Kolkata ed.).
  5. ↑ Kumar, Satish (2011). "India and the Himalayan states". In Scott, David (ed.). Handbook of India's International Relations. Routledge. p. 80. ISBN   978-1136811319.
  6. 1 2 Orton, Anna, ed. (2010). India's Borderland Disputes: China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Epitome Books. pp. 51–53, 63–64. ISBN   978-9380297156.
  7. ↑ Gogia, S. C., ed. (1966). The Fight for Peace: The Long Road to Tashkent, A Study in Foreign Relations. New Delhi: Hardy & Ally India. pp. 390–391.
  8. ↑ Mishra, Keshav (2004). Rapprochement Across the Himalayas. Gyan. p. 40. ISBN   978-8178352947.
  9. ↑ Feng, Cheng; Wortzel, Larry M. (2003). "PLA Operational Principles and Limited War". In Ryan, Mark A.; Finkelstein, D. M.; McDevitt, Michael A. (eds.). Chinese Warfighting: The PLA Experience Since 1949. M.E. Sharpe. p. 188. ISBN   978-0765610874.
  10. 1 2 Ramachandran, Sudha (27 June 2008). "China toys with India's border". Asia Times Online. Archived from the original on 5 September 2008.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  11. ↑ "Annual Report to Congress: Military Power of the People's Republic of China 2009" (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Office of the Secretary of Defense. pp. 5–6.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Ganguly, C., ed. (24 May 2013). "Army Vice Chief Unveils the Flag of Sikkim Scouts". Core Sector Communiqué. Kolkata.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 Banerjee, Ajay (7 December 2012). "'Sons of soil' to guard China border in Sikkim". The Tribune (Chandigarh ed.).
  14. ↑ "Sikkim Scouts to Be Raised By 2015". Defence Now. December 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
  15. ↑ "Sikkim Scouts recruitment drive from March 3". iSikkim. 17 February 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
  16. ↑ "Sikkim: Recruitment rally for local infantry force in March". iSikkim. 15 February 2013.
  17. ↑ "200 candidates with tattoos rejected for Sikkim Scouts". iSikkim. 10 May 2013.
  18. ↑ Indian Army (27 May 2013). "Unveiling of Flag of Sikkim Scouts" (Press release).
  19. ↑ "Sikkim saw emergence of new Opposition party in 2013". Z News. Zee Media. 28 December 2013.
  20. ↑ "Army to raise new battalions from Sikkim, Arunachal". Z News. Zee Media. 17 May 2010.
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