Territorial Army (India)

Territorial Army
Crest of the Territorial Army
Active	1949 – present
Country	India
Allegiance	Republic of India
Branch	Indian Army
Type	Army
Role	Reserve
Size	40,000+[1]
TA Group Headquarters	Chandimandir (Western command) Lucknow (Central command) Kolkata (Eastern command) Pune (Southern command) Udhampur (Northern command)
Nickname(s)	Terriers
Motto(s)	Savdhani Va Shoorta (Vigilance and Valour)
Anniversaries	9 October (TA Day)
Engagements	1962 India-China War 1965 Indo-Pak war 1971 Indo-Pakistani War Operation Pawan Operation Rakshak Kargil War
Website	jointerritorialarmy.gov.in
Commanders
Director General	Lt Gen Rajesh Pushkar
Chief of Defence Staff	General Anil Chauhan
Insignia
Insignia	Chain of Lotus and the Lion Capital of Ashoka
Flag

The Territorial Army (TA) is a military reserve force composed of part-time volunteers who provide support services to the Indian Army. It consists of officers, junior commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers and other personnel who hold ranks identical to those in the Indian Army, and also maintains civilian occupations. The primary role of the TA is to "relieve the regular army from static duties and assist civil administration in dealing with natural calamities and maintenance of essential services" and to "provide units for the regular army as and when required".^[2]

The TA was constituted by the Territorial Army Act of 1948 in the Dominion of India as a successor to the Indian Defence Force (1917–1920) and the Indian Territorial Force (1920–1948). It is commanded by a three-star ranking Director General of the Territorial Army, typically a Lieutenant General-ranking officer deputed from the Indian Army, and headed by the Chief of Defence Staff under the Department of Military Affairs of the Ministry of Defence. The TA has two units—a departmental unit consisting of employees of public sector undertakings (PSU) and the Indian Railway and ex-servicemen; and a non-departmental unit consisting of privately employed civilians.

The TA has participated in all of India's wars since the country's independence, including the Sino-Indian War of 1962, Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, and the Kargil War. The TA has also taken part in Operation Pawan (1987) in Sri Lanka, Operation Rakshak in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, Operation Rhino (1991) and Operation Bajrang (1990–1991) in Northeast India, and Operation Parakram in Jammu and Kashmir.

Individuals seeking to join the TA must be employed in mainstay civilian professions or be self-employed. Members are required to undergo two months of mandatory paid service every year. Although the TA states that it "does not provide a full time career", soldiers can choose to remain embodied for longer periods. TA personnel are entitled to all benefits available to the Indian Army, except gratuity and pension which are determined by the number of full years served.^[3]