Nasirabad: The Indian Army has launched one of its most expansive structural overhauls to date, establishing an elite pool of more than 100,000 drone operatives and raising a new specialised force to meet the demands of 21st-century hybrid warfare.

At the centre of this transformation are the "Bhairav" battalions, a light commando force designed to bridge the gap between conventional infantry and the elite Para Special Forces. These units are being optimised for high-speed offensive operations, with every operative trained to deploy drones for precision strikes against enemy infrastructure deep behind hostile lines.

Army Headquarters has already activated approximately 15 of these battalions, with plans to expand to 25. The units are strategically deployed across both the northern and western borders to handle tactical and operational-depth missions.

"Modern warfare is changing at a very rapid pace," the Commanding Officer of the 2nd Bhairav Battalion told ANI during a recent field visit to the desert sector. "The Bhairav battalions have also been created as part of the force restructuring, which have been raised in line with the requirements of modern technology, new thought process and as per the new operational requirements."

Operating under the Southern Command, the desert-based units utilise a "Sons of the Soil" recruitment model, drawing primarily from Rajasthan to leverage local knowledge of the terrain and climate.

"The desert has its own challenges where special skill sets, endurance and technology are required to be used in the right way," the Commanding Officer added. "That is why the Bhairav has been raised as a technology-driven system which can operate independently and carry out multi-domain operations in the future."

The force recently completed its operational validation during "Exercise Akhand Prahar," an intensive drill reviewed by Southern Army Commander Lt. Gen. Dhiraj Seth. The 2nd Bhairav Battalion, nicknamed the "Desert Falcons," is scheduled to make its public debut during the Army Day Parade in Jaipur on Jan. 15.

The restructuring extends beyond specialised units. The Army is also rolling out "Rudra Brigades", integrated, all-arms formations that consolidate infantry, tanks, artillery, and unmanned aerial systems under a single command. Concurrently, traditional branches such as the Armoured Corps and Mechanised Infantry are being refitted with loitering munitions and advanced surveillance drones to enhance battlefield lethality.

With inputs from ANI