WION in Congo: UN budget cuts lead to altering of strategy by Indian forces

Budget cuts are universal but the cut in the budget of United Nations has led to altering of tactical strategy by security forces deployed under the United Nations charter in Congo.

The Indian military is in charge of 15 oddbases in Congodown from 21 because of the budget cut made by the UN. For this reason, a battalion had to be sent back last year which reduced the number of Indian troops around3000to3700.Every penny is paid by the UN, while countries make contributionto the UN Peace Keeping Mission depending upon availability of the troops.

When WION spoke to officers in Goma, it discovered that the concept of Rapid Deployable Battalion and Protection by Projection concepts were born out of necessity and not changed circumstances. As bases get closed, it becomes imperative for the near-by existing bases to provide assistance to the civil society.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

When WION contacted Brigadier Vivek Tyagi, Commander of Central Sector of Indian Forces in Congo, he said," With cuts, force optimisation was a necessity and it needs to be understood. The new concept of operation involving more lean and agile forces adopted by the UK became a functional imperative where challenges for military commander increases several fold."

This led to junking of the earlier concept of protection by presence. To achieve the aim of stabilisation, it became imperative for the security force to demonstrate its firepower and mobility to send the message that despiteits absence it can act quickly to teach lesson to the law breakers. Indian Army covers an area which roughly equals the size of Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh in Congo. It statistically boils down to one person per 200 sq km.

This is happening at a time when elections are due in Congo by year end. Even Bangladesh, Ghana, Nepal, Egypt and Ukraine had to prune down their forces. Congo also reflects larger international reality of an insular America whichfeels burdened by world which it tries to lead in hesitatingly today. Sources say that more reduction is expected next year around as civilian administration also wants the presence of foreign forces to be reduced in Congo.