Strength
The regiment has a total of 11 regular, one Rashtriya Rifles and two territorial army battalions; of the regular bns, four are airborne battalions, while eight are special forces battalions. Formerly designated "commando" units, they are now designated special forces:
- 1st Battalion (Special Forces) - ex 1st Battalion, 2nd Punjab Regiment Raised 1761, conversion to Special Forces 1978
- 2nd Battalion (Special Forces) - ex 3rd Battalion, Maratha Light Infantry raised 1797, conversion to Special Forces 2000
- 3rd Battalion (Special Forces) - ex 1st Battalion, Kumaon Regiment raised 1813, conversion to Special Forces 2002
- 4th Battalion (Special Forces) raised 1961, conversion to Special Forces 2003.
- 5th Battalion (Airborne) raised 1963
- 6th Battalion (Airborne) raised 1963
- 7th Battalion (Airborne) raised 1963
- 9th Battalion (Special Forces) raised 1966 as 9th Parachute Commando Battalion.
- 10th Battalion (Special Forces) raised in 1967 as 10th Parachute Commando battalion from 9 Para Cdo.
- 11th Battalion (Special Forces) raised in 2011
- 12th Battalion (Airborne) under raising, as in 2011
- 21st Battalion (Special Forces) - ex 21st Battalion, Maratha Light Infantry raised 1985, conversion to Special Forces 1996
- 106th Infantry Battalion (Para) Territorial Army - Bangalore
- 116th Infantry Battalion (Para) Territorial Army - Deolali
- 31st Battalion (Commando) - Rashtriya Rifles
Three of the Special Forces battalions were originally trained for use in certain environments; 1st Bn, 9th Bn and 10th Bn and the 21st Bn . Currently, all Special Forces battalions are cross trained for all environments.
The 8th Battalion became 16th Battalion, Mahar Regiment in 1976 before reconverting to the 12th Battalion, Mechanised Infantry Regiment. A sizable part of the battalion was retained in the airborne role for some time, forming the armoured element of the 50th (Independent) Parachute Brigade and equipped with their BMP2 Infantry Combat Vehicles. But due to administrative and logistic reasons, it was discontinued and their role being taken over by the para battalions themselves, with a platoon strength of each battalion being trained and equipped for the mechanized role within the brigade.
The 50th (Independent) Parachute Brigade comprises the following units:
- 02 Parachute Infantry battalions
- 01 Special Forces battalion
- 01 Parachute Field Regiment (Artillery) (9 & 17 Parachute Field Regiments in rotation)
- 60 Parachute Field Hospital
- 411 (Independent) Parachute Field Company (Bombay Sappers)
- 622 Parachute Composite Company (ASC)
- 50th (Independent) Parachute Brigade OFP (Ordnance)
- 50th (Independent) Parachute Brigade Signal Company
- 2 (Independent) Parachute Field Workshop Company (EME)
- 252 (Para) Air Defence Battery
- 50th (Independent) Parachute Brigade Provost Section.
The President's Body Guard also forms part of the brigade as the pathfinders company.
The Special Forces (Airborne) units in rotation form part of the parachute brigade alternatingly serving their field tenures in counter-insurgency/high altitude areas. One of the eight SF battalions too serves in the brigade on rotation. One of the two field regiments (9 Para Fd Regt and 17 Para Fd Regt) also forms part of the brigade while the other serves out its field tenure on rotation.
The two Territorial Army battalions, 106th (Bangalore) and 116th (Deolali) form the airborne element of the Terriers (as the Territorial Army is popularly known) and are presently involved in COIN operations.
31st Battalion (Commando), Rashtriya Rifles, is also affiliated to the Parachute Regiment, for special operations conducted by the counter-insurgency force.
Read more about this topic: Parachute Regiment (India)
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