War clouds over Army HQ

Infantry and artillery train guns at each other

NEW DELHI: General Deepak Kapoor, who took over as the new chief on September 30 promising to improve the force’s image, may have reopened one of the oldest wounds in the army.

Several unimpeachable army sources told DNA that a sharp tussle was under way at army headquarters between the powerful  infantry and artillery lobbies, prompted by a series of decisions taken after General Kapoor took charge. He is an artillery officer.

Officers from the infantry, which dominates the army, feel General Kapoor has initiated a series of steps to give artillery undue importance in the higher echelons. Artillery officers, on the other hand, argue that  any such decisions, if taken at all,  are to “correct historical injustices”.

Sources said the issue surfaced in a big way at the army commanders conference in New Delhi in the last week of October, with some heated arguments punctuating the meetings. According to those present, a lieutenant-general from the artillery — Lt Gen PK Singh, who heads the Southwestern Command — suggested that artillery units too be sent for UN peacekeeping operations. Now only infantry units are sent on peacekeeping duties, which earn individual soldiers significant amounts of money. Soldiers from other arms get to go in very small numbers but not as units.

The artillery general’s suggestion drew a spirited response from the infantry section, with some of the generals suggesting that in reciprocity artillery units must go and serve in places like Siachen along with the infantry. The arguments ended with the army chief suggesting that they examine the entire issue later.

Infantry officers have now begun to wonder whether more artillery officers are being favoured under the new dispensation.  

Of the five or so major generals posted to army headquarters, at least three are from the artillery. Some insiders think this is “unusually high” given the much higher proportion of infantrymen in the army.

Infantry officers are drawing parallels with the leadership of General S Padmanabhan, the last artillery officer to head the army. Insiders are watching for moves to further improve artillery prospects in the higher echelons.
Many army sources say that a move is under way to appoint a junior Lt Gen as deputy chief of the army staff (DCAS). Infantry partisans say usually the two positions of DCAS are shared between artillery and infantry, but the current move — if it materialises — may end up giving both posts to the artillery.

What could also further intensify the tension is another move with long-term ramifications: to add artillery to the services from where general cadre officers are automatically taken on promotion. Only officers from infantry and armoured corps —the two combat arms — are automatically considered for general cadre appointments, which fill up most of the higher rank vacancies. Only an exceptional few from artillery and other services, such as the army chief, are considered for general cadre appointments.