Meet Tyson: The Indian army dog who took a bullet in leg from terrorist in J&K, gets President I-day honour

An assault dog with the Indian Army’s 2 Para Special Forces has been honoured during the Independence Day 2026 celebrations for displaying “bravery and extraordinary courage” during a counter-insurgency operation in J&K under Operation Rakshak early this year. The dog, named Tyson, a German Shepherd belonging to the Remount Veterinary Corps, was among 89 Mention-in-Despatches (MiD) by President Droupadi Murmu on I-Day eve on Friday.

The dog's bravery appeared during Operation Trashi-I, launched in the Chatroo belt of Kishtwar district in J&K on February 22 this year, when Tyson moved ahead of the troops and found a hidden terrorist. Seeing the terrorist, Tyson pressed forward and launched a fierce assault, compelling the terrorists to open fire, and the dog was shot on the leg. Soon after the incident, he was airlifted to Command Hospital, Udhampur, for emergency treatment and has since recovered.

Three Pakistan-sponsored terrorists

“Tyson displayed extraordinary courage by taking the first bullet while leading the entry into the terrorists’ hideout. Undeterred by his injuries, he pressed forward and launched a fierce assault, compelling the terrorists to open fire and thereby confirming their presence. His fearless action enabled troops of White Knight Corps, J&K police and CRPF to precisely engage and neutralise three Pakistan-sponsored terrorists,” the Army had said in a post on social media platform X. “Wounded yet in high spirits, alert and recovering well, Tyson exemplifies unwavering devotion to duty, a true warrior and a soldier in every sense,” the Army said later.

Tyson belongs to the Army's elite unit of assault dogs, which undergo training similar to soldiers for high-risk missions. These dogs are deployed in situations where human soldiers would face immediate danger, helping locate hidden terrorists, detect threats, and pinpoint enemy positions.