TA Army

Hello sir, I am Bajirao Singham. I am from Goa. I want you to help me by giving me some information about the Territorial Army (TA) of India. Can you give me some details about it?

[Pathak]

As you have asked about the Territorial Army (TA), I am giving you information about it
Territorial Army (TA) is one of the arms & services of the Indian army composed of volunteers who receive military training for a few days in a year so that in case of an emergency they can be mobilised for the defence of the country.

It is a second line of defence after the Regular Indian Army; the Indian Territorial Army is not a profession, occupation or a source of employment.

It is only meant for those people who are already in mainstay civilian professions; in fact, gainful employment or self-employment in a civil profession is a prerequisite for joining the Territorial Army.

It was formed in the year 1917.

The Territorial Army is part of the regular Indian Army. The present role of the Territorial Army is to relieve the Regular Army from static duties and assist civil administration in dealing with natural calamities and maintenance of essential services in situations where life of the communities is affected or the security of the country is threatened, and to provide units for the Regular Army as and when required.

The Territorial Army has a strength of approximately 40,000 first line troops (and 160,000 second line troops) comprising departmental Territorial Army units such as railway, IOC, ONGC, telecommunication and General Hospital, and the non-departmental Territorial Army units of infantry battalions and ecological battalions affiliated to various infantry regiments.

Group headquarters

TA GP HQ, Southern Command – Pune, Maharashtra
TA GP HQ, Eastern Command – Kolkata, West Bengal
TA GP HQ, Western Command – Chandimandir, Chandigarh
TA GP HQ, Central Command – Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
TA GP HQ, Northern Command -Udhampur, Jammu & Kashmir