Indian Army's youngest command turns 7

Statement by the Indian Army -

SAPTA SHAKTI COMMAND : FOREVER VICTORIOUS

The South Western Command, the seventh and the youngest command of the Indian Army becomes seven years old on 15 April 2012.  Christened the Sapta Shakti - the Seventh Star - it is determined to be "Forever Victorious".  South Western Command was carved out of the erstwhile Western Command based on experiences gained during Operation Vijay and Operation Parakram.  It was in response to the requirement of making the Commands on the Western Front more compact, role based and manageable, thereby optimizing our strength while taking due care of our vulnerability.

In recent battle exercises including those with foreign armies, the young Command and its formations have proved their prowess.  The recently concluded exercise Yudh Abhyas, which was held in Mahajan Ranges (Rajasthan) enhanced Indo US cooperation for peace keeping operation under the mandate of United Nations (UN).

The operational responsibility of Sapta Shakti Command which encompasses well developed and high value territory demands preparedness of a very high order.  Enhancement of its combat potential is a continuous process.  Today Indian Army is facing multiple challenges on myriad front ranging from a total war under nuclear overhang to sub conventional threats.  The Army thus needs to transform itself into a modern, operationally ready force which can function in a synergized joint service environment across the entire spectrum of conflict.  Today, operations in South Western Command are pivotal for the Western Front, due to the location of the area of responsibility.

The geographical area of Sapta Shakti Command extends over Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan, covering more than 1.5 lakh square kilometers.  These three states are the nursery, which provides maximum officers and men to the Indian Army.  The Command in addition to guarding the frontier provides assistance to the civil administration in these three states as also parts of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh.  Since raising, the Command's formations have come to the aid of the civil administration for flood relief, man-made calamities, disaster relief and maintenance of law and order, during unrest and agitation.

The area of responsibility of Sapta Shakti Command covers the states which have maximum density of serving soldiers and veterans.