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NEW DELHI: In a major move towards reorganisation, the Indian Army will test a new war fighting concept of Integrated Battle Groups as part of an exercise under its Western Command in Punjab within the next few months, top officials said.The corps-level exercise will test two types of configurations of the Integrated Battle Group ( IBG )- one for offensive roles, which during hostilities involves cross-border operations and the other for defensive postures to withstand an enemy onslaught. During the exercise, IBGs will be used instead of brigades. A brigade comprises of about three to four units, each having about 800 troops.The test-bed will help the army get a conclusive idea of the benefits of IBGs, such as whether it will ensure swift mobility during operations. It will also determine whether more specialised equipment is needed for IBGs for quick actions, such as tanks and infantry combat vehicles. The army will first see where it can deploy IBGs under the corps conducting the exercise. It will also examine other sectors along the western and northern borders where the concept can be applied. The concept has been forwarded to the defence ministry for further examination and approval.The IBG is a formation which will have all the elements of warfare, including artillery guns, tanks, air defence and logistical elements. “The concept will be tested as part of an upcoming formation exercise in Western Command in Punjab. IBGs will be fielded, instead of brigades,” said an official.Sources said that the exercise will happen after the harvest season is over in Punjab, which is likely to be around May.Officials said IBGs ensure better integration and self-sufficiency as compared to the existing formations. Currently, a brigade during hostilities has to wait to be augmented by different types of units such as of artillery and logistics. This increases its time to mobilise. However, this is not likely to be the issue with IBGs, which will be inbuilt with all such units. “The testbed will help determine whether the integration in IBGs works and if it leads to better mobility,” said an official.Even the two IBG configurations will be tested. “This will be done keeping in mind offensive and defensive operations,” said an official.The configuration for offensive roles will have a high quantity of mechanised elements such as tanks. Such elements ensure more power and maneuverability when punching through enemy lines. This configuration is likely to be for the army’s strike corps, which are used during offensive operations across the border. The army currently has four ‘strike corps’, mainly comprising of large numbers of tanks and artillery guns.The second configuration for defensive roles will have a higher number of infantry or troops, mainly due to the requirement of holding ground. This is likely to be used for the army’s 11 ‘holding corps’, which support the strike corps and defend territory. Such corps are smaller than a strike corps and have lesser mechanised elements.“If the concept works, then we will see where it can be applied. For example, if a division can be divided into two IBGs or a brigade can be upgraded,” said an official, adding that an IBG is about one-third the size of a division.