Territorial Army hires Chinese language interpreters, to induct cyber security experts next

A TA’s role is to effectively relieve the regular army of various static duties such as road opening or protection of lines of communication. TA units are provided to the regular army as and when required for specific roles such as providing aid to civil authorities during disaster or maintenance of essential services. The official said, a TA gives an opportunity to “able-bodied and employed” citizens to don the uniform and serve the country.

Talking about the hiring of Chinese language interpreters, the source said that five of them have been hired in the first phase, based on their proficiency in spoken and written Mandarin. “We selected the best. They have already been deployed at forward locations where BPMs with the Chinese take place,” the source said, adding that the induction took place in August this year even as the process had started in January.

Whereas, the hiring of cyber security experts is awaiting a final sanction but is at an advanced stage, the source added. “We are hopeful of getting the sanction by the end of this month. On a trial basis, we plan to induct five to six cyber experts in the first go,” the official said. Around 14 battalions are currently involved in counter-insurgency and counter terrorism roles in the northeast and J&K.The source said that several TA units have also been inducted in Ladakh and are providing protection to lines of communication and other critical border infrastructure of the Border Roads Organisation.

“For instance, the oil sector marketing unit has been overseeing supply of petroleum products in the area, including aviation fuel, as a large number of aircraft are flying everyday (in the region),” the source said. The source added that there are no immediate plans to expand TA units in coastal areas and island territories even as there are plans to equip the existing TA battalion in Andaman and Nicobar Islands better. Currently, there are 43 infantry TA units totally integrated with the regular Army in J&K and the northeast.

Indian Territorial Army is an auxiliary military organisation of the Indian Army. Raised on October 9, 1949, it will be completing 75 years this month. Various ministries and state governments often put in a request for raising TA units for various roles, including for plantation drives, supply of petroleum and oil exploration and protection of critical infrastructure.

The TA units also give protection to border infrastructure projects in sensitive areas as well as railways projects in the northeast connecting Manipur and Nagaland and are involved in the maintenance of anti-infiltration obstacle systems along the Line of Control. They have also been roped in to support the additional forces in Manipur during the ongoing crisis in the state. Several celebrities like Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni have been given honorary TA ranks and many of them often play a major role in motivating the forces and to support a specific cause.