Royal Bhutan Army Explained

Country:Bhutan
Royal Bhutan Army
Native Name:Dzongkha: {{bo-textonly|བསྟན་སྲུང་དམག་སྡེ་
Branches: Royal Bodyguard of Bhutan
Headquarters:Lungtenphu, Thimphu
Commander-In-Chief:Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
Commander-In-Chief Title:Druk Gyalpo
Commander:Batoo Tshering
Commander Title:Chief operations officer
Age:18
Conscription:Voluntary
Active:8,000 (approximately)
History:Military history of Bhutan
Ranks:Military ranks of Bhutan

The Royal Bhutan Army (RBA; Dzongkha: བསྟན་སྲུང་དམག་སྡེ་|bStan-srung dmag-sde)[1] is a branch of the armed forces of the Kingdom of Bhutan responsible for maintaining the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty against security threats. The Druk Gyalpo is the Supreme Commander in Chief of the RBA.[2] The Chief Operations Officer is Goonglon Gongma (Lt. Gen.) Batoo Tshering.[3] [4]

The RBA includes the Royal Bodyguard of Bhutan (RBG), an elite branch of the armed forces responsible for the security of the King, the royal family and other officials.[5]

It was customary, but not obligatory, for one son from each Bhutanese family to serve in the army. In addition, militia may be recruited during emergencies. It may, from time to time, be called on to assist the Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) in maintaining law and order.[6]

History

With intense support from India, the RBA was formed in the 1950s in response to the Chinese annexation and subsequent People's Liberation Army actions in Tibet. In 1958, the Royal Government of Bhutan introduced a conscription system and plans for a standing army of 2,500 soldiers. The Indian government had also repeatedly urged and pressured Bhutan to end its neutrality or isolationist policy and accept Indian economic and military assistance. This was because India considered Bhutan one of the most vulnerable sectors in its strategic defense system in regards to China.[7] When Bhutan accepted the Indian offer, the Indian Army became responsible for the training and equipping of the RBA. By 1968 the RBA consisted of 4,850 soldiers; by 1990 this had risen to 6,000.[5] Following the increases after an anti-militant operation in 2003, the RBA peaked at over 9,000 in 2007 before being reduced to 8,000 in 2008.[8]

Bhutanese officers were deployed to UNDOF as staff officers in 2015.[9] [10]

In 2021, the first cohort of women were admitted to the Army.[11]

Relationship with the Indian Armed Forces

The Indian Army maintains a training mission in Bhutan, known as the Indian Military Training Team (IMTRAT), which is responsible for the training of RBA and RBG personnel.[12] All RBA and RBG officers are trained at the Indian Army's officer training institutes, namely the National Defence Academy (NDA) in Pune, and the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun.[13]

Project DANTAK of the Border Roads Organisation, a subdivision of the Indian Army Corps of Engineers, has been operating in Bhutan since May 1961. Since then Project DANTAK has been responsible for the construction and maintenance of over 1,500 km of roads and bridges, Paro Airport and Yongphulla Airport (upgraded in 2018, with scheduled fixed-wing civilian flights), heliports and other infrastructure. While these serve India's strategic defense needs, they are also an obvious economic benefit for the people of Bhutan.[14]

Army aviation

The Royal Bhutan Army relies on Eastern Air Command of the Indian Air Force for air medical evacuation assistance.[15] Indian Air Force helicopters evacuated RBA casualties to India for treatment during Operation All Clear in 2003.[16]

2003 Operation: All Clear

See main article: Operation All Clear. During the early '90s Indian separatist groups United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and Kamtapur Liberation Organization (KLO) had begun to clandestinely set up camps in Bhutan's dense southern jungles. These camps were used to train militants, store equipment and launch attacks on targets in India.[17] The Bhutanese government became aware of their presence in 1996, and from 1997 the issue was regularly discussed in the National Assembly.[18] The Government of India began exerting diplomatic pressure on the Royal Government of Bhutan to remove the militant presence and offered to conduct joint military operations with Bhutan against the militants. The Royal Government of Bhutan, preferring a peaceful solution, declined the offer and instead initiated dialogue with the militant groups in 1998.[19] By December 2003 negotiations had failed to produce any agreement and the Royal Government, unable to tolerate the groups' presence any longer, issued a 48-hour ultimatum on 13 December. On 15 December the RBA commenced military operations against the militant groups.[17]

Combat operations

Under the leadership of His Majesty the 4th King, the RBA and RBG, with a total strength of 6,000, attacked an estimated 3,000 militants spread across 30 camps.[20] [21] By 27 December 2003 all 30 camps had been captured. Additionally, the RBA seized "more than 500 AK 47/56 assault rifles and 500 other assorted weapons including rocket launchers and mortars, along with more than 1,000,000 rounds of ammunition. An anti-aircraft gun was also found at the site of the GHQ of the ULFA."[22]

By 3 January 2004 all 30 camps (ULFA-14, NDFB-11, KLO-5) and an additional 35 observation posts were destroyed and the militants dislodged.[23] A total of 485 ULFA, NDFB and KLO militants were killed or captured; those captured along with the seized weapons and ammunition were handed over to the Government of India. Captured non-combatants were handed over to Assamese civil authorities. The RBA suffered 11 soldiers killed in action and 35 wounded in action.

Personnel

As of 2008 the RBA stood at 8,000 active-duty personnel.[8] This follows an initiative introduced in 2005 by the Royal Government of Bhutan to reduce the strength of the RBA while increasing militia training of the Bhutanese population.[24]

Army Welfare Project

The Army Welfare Project (AWP) is a commercial enterprise of the RBA established in 1974 to provide benefits for retired RBA and RBG personnel in the form of employment, pensions and loans.[5] [25] The AWP manufactures alcoholic beverages in two distilleries located in Gelephu and Samtse.[26]

Equipment

See main article: List of equipment of the Royal Bhutan Army. The RBA is a mobile infantry force lightly armed with weapons largely supplied by India.

Pistols

Rifles

Infantry support weapons

81mm Mortar (33)

Armoured vehicle

Army aviation!Aircraft!Variant!In service
Mil Mi-8Mi-8T Hip C2[31]

Bases

The Royal Bhutan Army maintains a camp at Zompelri which is a border outpost under the control of army's Wing I at Tendruk, Samtse.[32]

The Army's Military Training Centre is in Tencholing, Wangduephodrang.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ༈ རྫོང་ཁ་ཨིང་ལིཤ་ཤན་སྦྱར་ཚིག་མཛོད། ༼བསྟ༽ . dz . Dzongkha-English Dictionary: "BSTA" . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110825222228/http://www.dzongkha.gov.bt/online/dictionaries/dz-en-dict/Contents/09-13-BSTA.html . 2011-08-25 .
  2. Book: The Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan . 2008 . . 978-99936-754-0-2 . art.28 . 2012-11-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121101131446/http://www.constitution.bt/TsaThrim%20Eng%20%28A5%29.pdf . dead .
  3. News: Dozin Batoo Tshering takes over as COO of RBA . Kuensel . 2005-11-02 . 2006-11-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20061105011337/http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=6201 . dead .
  4. News: Eastern Commander visits Bhutan . . 2008-09-20 . 2011-06-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110610232437/http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=11175 . dead .
  5. Web site: A Country Study: Bhutan . . 1991 . sec. Armed Forces . 2013-07-06 . https://archive.today/20120712125447/lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/bttoc.html#bt0083 . 2012-07-12 . live .
  6. Web site: A Country Study: Bhutan . Federal Research Division, US Library of Congress . 1991 . sec. Militia . 2013-07-06 . https://archive.today/20120712125447/lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/bttoc.html#bt0083 . 2012-07-12 . live .
  7. Mathou. Thierry. Bhutan-China Relations: Towards a New Step in Himalayan Politics. First International Seminar on Bhutan Studies. 394. Centre for Bhutan Studies. 2004. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120127221350/http://www.bhutanstudies.org.bt/pubFiles/19-Spdr%26Pglt.pdf. 2012-01-27.
  8. Web site: Countries at the Crossroads: Bhutan . . 2011 . 2013-07-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140307224119/http://www.freedomhouse.org/report/countries-crossroads/2011/bhutan . 2014-03-07 . live .
  9. Web site: STAFF OFFICER FROM BHUTAN JOINED UNDOF . 2017-11-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171201080803/https://undof.unmissions.org/staff-officer-bhutan-joined-undof . 2017-12-01 . live .
  10. Web site: SPEECH OF THE HEAD OF MISSION AND FORCE COMMANDER . 2017-11-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171201034147/https://undof.unmissions.org/speech-head-mission-and-force-commander . 2017-12-01 . live .
  11. Web site: Translation of His Majesty's Address at the 77th RBA Recruits Attestation Parade . Royal Bhutan Army . 23 August 2021.
  12. Web site: Indian Military Training Team (IMTRAT), Bhutan. Indian Army. https://web.archive.org/web/20090619071032/http://indianarmy.nic.in/index_imtrat.htm. 19 June 2009. 1 November 2011. dead.
  13. Choden. Tashi. Indo-Bhutan Relations Recent Trends. Journal of Bhutan Studies. 11. 6. 119. Centre for Bhutan Studies. Winter 2004. 1 November 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120127071346/http://www.bhutanstudies.org.bt/pubFiles/v11-6.pdf. 27 January 2012.
  14. Web site: Dantak. Border Roads Organisation. Government of India. 1 November 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110927154718/http://www.bro.nic.in/indexmain.asp?projectid=23. 27 September 2011.
  15. News: Eastern air command chief visits Bhutan. Kuensel. 10 May 2002. 5 November 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20061105030718/http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1576. dead.
  16. News: A Nation Pays Tribute. Kuensel. 15 August 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20110610231908/http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4394. 10 June 2011. dead.
  17. News: The Militant Problem. Kuensel. 15 December 2003. 10 June 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110610231935/http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3552. dead.
  18. Penjore. Dorji. Security of Bhutan: Walking Between the Giants. Journal of Bhutan Studies. 10. 9. 108–131. Centre for Bhutan Studies. Summer 2004. 1 November 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120127090312/http://www.bhutanstudies.org.bt/pubFiles/v10-9.pdf. 27 January 2012.
  19. News: Resolving the Militant Problem. Kuensel. 15 December 2003. 10 June 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110610232014/http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3551. dead.
  20. Web site: Bhutanese Army Actions Against Militants. Indian Defence Review, Volume 24 . April–June 2004 . 81.
  21. News: Security Troops Continue Operations to Flush Indian Militants out of Bhutan. Kuensel. 20 December 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20110610232256/http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3571. 10 June 2011. dead.
  22. News: Protecting mutual concerns and interests. Kuensel. 27 December 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20110610232332/http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3588. 10 June 2011. dead.
  23. Web site: RBA Makes Good Progress in Flushing Out Operations. Kuensel. 3 January 2004. 7 July 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20140814001308/http://www.raonline.ch/pages/bt/btbodo12d.html. 14 August 2014. live. dmy-all.
  24. News: Militia Should Start in 2012. Kuensel. 16 June 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20110610231901/http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=8607. 10 June 2011. dead.
  25. News: Company to promote 'responsible drinking'. Kuensel. 23 January 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150720045120/http://www.kuenselonline.com/company-to-promote-responsible-drinking/#.UdwCg22OnEc. 20 July 2015.
  26. Web site: Alcohol Use and Abuse in Bhutan. National Statistics Bureau of Bhutan. 24. 9 July 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20180127202216/http://www.nsb.gov.bt/publication/files/pub1vc5889ov.pdf. 27 January 2018. live. dmy-all.
  27. Book: Reetika Sharma . Ramvir Goria . Vivek Mishra. India and the Dynamics of World Politics: A book on Indian Foreign Policy, Related events and International Organizations. 29 May 2014. Pearson Education India. 978-81-317-3291-5. 128. https://web.archive.org/web/20140708205247/http://books.google.com/books?id=eOiXLCWUiB4C&pg=PA128. 8 July 2014. live. dmy-all. 2011 .
  28. https://thebhutanese.bt/his-majesty-grants-audience-to-first-ever-bhutanese-contingent-going-for-un-peacekeeping-operations/ News article from The Bhutanese newspaper showing Bhutanese peacekeepers, August 3rd, 2022.
  29. Czołgi Świata, Issue 41, pp 11, 12
  30. Web site: ภาพการทดสอบ First Win 4×4 จำนวน 15 คันของภูฎาน ลูกค้าต่างชาติรายที่ 3. www.thaiarmedforce.com. 19 November 2021. dmy-all.
  31. Web site: World Air Forces 2020. Flight Global. en. 2019-12-20.
  32. News: Bhutan media's reaction to India-China border standoff has no aggressive posturing . . Vinod . Janardhanan . July 2, 2017 . July 6, 2017 . China has alleged that India is fighting on behalf of Bhutan, which had opposed the construction of a motorable road by the Chinese military from Dokala in the Doklam area towards the Bhutan Army camp at Zornpelri on June 16. . https://web.archive.org/web/20170705143826/http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/bhutan-media-s-reaction-to-india-china-border-standoff-has-no-aggressive-posturing/story-vWa6wSM7SJAmShAqbRhZZO.html . July 5, 2017 . live . mdy-all .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Royal Bhutan Army".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.