Rann can't deter Indian army

Somewhere in the Rann of Kutch, Apr 27: Crossing the Tropic of Cancer and going further beyond the 'India Bridge', the only manmade structure delineating the divide beyond which civilians are not permitted, invariably brings to life images of objects.

These objects, living and non-living, look much larger than life as the Sun gets hotter and brighter in the formidable Rann of Kutch (ROK) in western Gujarat.

The mirages get exemplified further into oasis-like images where it is easy to be misled and be swallowed by quicksand and or be lost easily in case of an attempted misadventure.

It is in such arid, marshy and treacherous terrain that troops of one of Indian Army's elite Infantry Divisions, the Golden Katar (GK) Division through its 'Bald Eagle' Brigade undertake constant vigil and train hard during peacetime in the Kutch peninsula. The ROK sector has also been the scene of skirmishes during the 1965 war between India and Pakistan.

Ever since, with the creation of the GK Infantry Division in Gujarat, the entire ROK sector comprising over 10,000 square miles between the Gulf of Kutch and the mouth of the Indus River in southern Pakistan has remained under the watchful and ever vigilant gaze of the Indian Armed Forces. The GK Infantry Division through its other subsidiary Brigades in addition also undertakes vigil and operations in other sectors including south Rajasthan and Saurashtra in Gujarat.

A terrain that has no parallel in the world and interspersed with seawater flowing in and out with tidal dispositions make the ROK one of the most formidable and unique tactical areas for any military operations. The ROK was virtually undefended until the Indian Army moved into the sector in the beginning of 1965.

Simulated exercises by the troops of the Bald Eagle Brigade demonstrated a tactical capture of a bunker in one of the 'Bets', a raised feature in the otherwise low-lying ROK when a section of media persons were recently conducted this week to witness first-hand the training of the Army troops in the region.

The mighty T-55 tanks that often traverse the vastness of the ROK also remain unseen by the public gaze. Their manoeuvers, unhindered and unstoppable in the exacting terrain are enough to stop any misadventures of enemy in their track.

During peacetime it is however the Border Security Force (BSF) that patrols the IB that has a formidable fencing now in the ROK sector.

The Army is mandated to take over operations during any actual military conflict, and then the BSF also comes into its operational fold.

Unknown to most, along the eastern coastline of the Kori creek close to the ruins of the ramparts of once what was a thriving fort at Lakhpat, is stationed the Indian Army's Water and Sports Adventure Centre (AWSAC). Canoeing, kayaking, sailing, water surfing to powered boating are some of the facilities by which Army personnel regularly train during peacetime.

When Boat Assault Universal Types (BAUTs) get launched from places as far as Bhuj to South Gujarat during flood relief activities, it is the trained personnel of the Indian Army who rush in aid to the civil authorities.

UNI