Army Structure & Ranks — Set 13

Correct Answer: C. Ramgarh

The Punjab Regimental Centre is located at Ramgarh Cantonment, Jharkhand. This may seem surprising given the name, but regimental centres are not always in the recruiting states. The Punjab Regiment has a distinguished history and fought in both World Wars. It is one of the most decorated regiments in Indian Army history.

Correct Answer: A. 1947 Kashmir airlift

The first airborne operation of the Indian Army was the airlift of soldiers to Srinagar in October 1947 to defend Kashmir against Pakistani-backed tribal invaders. The 1st Battalion, Sikh Regiment was airlifted to Srinagar airport. This rapid deployment was critical in saving Srinagar and Kashmir. It remains one of the most important strategic airlifts in military history.

Correct Answer: A. INSAS Rifle

The INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) is India's first indigenously developed and produced infantry rifle, manufactured at Ordnance Factory Tiruchirappalli. It fires a 5.56mm round. It was introduced in 1998. However, the Indian Army is in the process of replacing it with newer rifles including the SIG 716 and AK-203 (jointly produced with Russia).

Correct Answer: A. Maroon

Para Commandos (Para Special Forces) of the Indian Army wear a maroon beret, which is the internationally recognised colour for airborne and special forces. Regular Parachute Regiment battalions also wear a maroon beret. The maroon beret is a symbol of elite status and rigorous selection. It was adopted from the British Parachute Regiment tradition.

Correct Answer: C. Dhaka

The Instrument of Surrender of the Pakistani Eastern Command was signed at Dhaka (then Dacca) on December 16, 1971. Pakistan's Lt. General A.A.K. Niazi signed the surrender document with India's Lt. General Jagjit Singh Aurora. Over 93,000 Pakistani troops became POWs. This led to the creation of Bangladesh and is celebrated as Vijay Diwas.

Correct Answer: B. Sam Manekshaw

Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw was affectionately called 'Sam Bahadur' (Brave Sam) by his troops. He was born Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw. He led India to a decisive victory in the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War and was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal in 1973. He is widely considered India's greatest military general of the modern era.

Correct Answer: C. 6

The Indian Army has 6 operational commands: Northern Command (Udhampur), Western Command (Chandimandir), South Western Command (Jaipur), Central Command (Lucknow), Eastern Command (Kolkata), and Southern Command (Pune). The 7th command is the Army Training Command (ARTRAC) at Shimla, which is not an operational command. Together, they cover India's entire strategic perimeter.

Correct Answer: B. British Indian Army Gorkha units

The 11 Gorkha Rifles was raised from Gorkha soldiers who opted to serve India rather than going to the British Army during the partition of the British Indian Army in 1947. Under the Tripartite Agreement, Gorkha soldiers could choose between India and Britain. The 11 GR was specifically formed from those who chose India. It has a proud battle history.

Correct Answer: A. White

The Indian Army's ceremonial dress is white. Officers wear white dress uniforms for formal occasions and ceremonial parades. The service dress is olive green (khaki in some ceremonial contexts). The ceremonial dress is worn on occasions like Republic Day, Independence Day, and formal functions. The white dress creates an impressive visual display during parades.

Correct Answer: B. Siachen Glacier and Kargil sector

The Dogra Scouts (Auxiliary Forces) are deployed mainly in the Siachen Glacier and Kargil sectors in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. They are specially trained for high altitude warfare. Similar to Ladakh Scouts, they are local militia units that assist regular army formations. Their knowledge of local terrain is invaluable in these difficult areas.