NEW DELHI: The Army wants to go global now. No, it''s not deploying troops overseas or sett ing up integrated theatre commands across different continents.

Instead, the Army is keen to make its specialised unconventi onal warfare schools into "centres of inte rnational excellence".

The Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School at Vairengte (Mizoram) is already attracting foreign armies - from the US, France, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Vietnam, among several others - in hordes to learn how to "fight the guerrilla like a guerrilla".

The Army now plans something similar for another unique institution - the High-Altit ude Warfare School (HAWS) in Jammu and Kashmir.

"The recent Army Comma nders'' conference decided to make it a centre of excellence... We will offer its courses to the armies of friendly countries," said a senior officer of the Army HQ.

From a humble beginning as the 19 Infantry Division Ski School in 1948, the High-Altitude Warfare School has over the years become the Army''s nodal agency for "specialised training and dissemination of doctrines" in high-altitude, mountain and snow warfare.

"Its facilities, with mountain warfare courses in Sonamarg area and snow-craft and winter warfare in Gulmarg area, are among the best in the world...we can teach most armies a thing or two about this kind of warfare," said an officer.

The High-Altitude Warfare School played an important role during the 1999 Kargil conflict by conducting crash courses for troops prior to their induction in the actual operations to dislodge Pakistani intruders from the icy heights.

Apart from the ongoing counter-insurgency operations in J&K, HAWS also actively participated in the 1965 and 1971 wars.

"It also trains troops for operations in the Siachen Glacier, the highest and coldest battlefield in the world," said the officer.

Facebook Twitter Linkedin Mail