The mutual agreement between India and Afghanistan to deepen defence and security cooperation to increase the operational capabilities and mobility of the Afghanistan National Security and Defence Forces (ANSDF) comes at a time when the batch of 52 Foreign Gentlemen Cadets (FGCs) passed out from Indian Military Academy in the recently concluded passing out parade this weekend.
After acquaintance with the military and strategic training at the India’s premiere Dehradun based military institution---- Indian Military Academy, the Afghan officers will implement the military tactics in their own country toneutralise terrorists in counter insurgency (CI) operations in Afghanistan.
Continuing the spirit of imparting military training to friendly foreign countries, Foreign Gentlemen Cadets (FGCs) from Afghanistan top the tally in the recently concluded passing out parade at Indian Military Academy.
Out of fresh passed out batch of FGCs, maximum number (52) FGCs was from Afghanistan followed by five each from Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Bhutan after receiving pre-commissioned training
at IMA. It is noteworthy that out of batch of 74 Foreign Gentlemen Cadets who passed out from the portals of IMA in early June, this year, 55 FGCs were
from Afghanistan.
A total of 53 FGCs from Afghanistan had passed out in the IMA Passing-out-Parade held in December, last year. Army sources revealed that the India had concurred to impart officer-level military training to minimum 100 Afghan Cadets every year to help strengthen Afghan National Army (ANA).
The training roster for FGCs will be the same as for the Indian Gentlemen Cadets. The training schedule for the FGCs from Afghanistan will entirely depend on the course. The military training of the FGCs will be between one year and one-and-half year. The IMA has so far imparted training to 1614 FGCs so far since its formation.
The agreement to train a large number of Afghan cadets is the largest foreign military training programme that India is currently undertaking and is expected to go a long way in boosting military tiesbetween the two nations.
In an exclusive interaction with The Pioneer, Afghan Captain Fazel Rabi Sakhizada revered that training roster for FGCs at IMA is best among all military training institutions in the world.
Acting as mentor for Afghan cadets and an officer who has received training in more than 90 countries, Capt Sakhizada said that training pattern will surely help the Afghan GCs to achieve distinction in Counter Insurgency Operations (CI Ops) in Afghanistan.
“At the IMA, GCs undergo a scientifically-evolved, structured training programme and the focus is on developing the necessary physical and mental attributes to operate effectively and lead in an intense battlefield environment,” he reiterated, adding that training helps GCs to improvetheir motor qualities and builds speed, strength, endurance,flexibility and agility.
“ Military training entirely focuses on endurance marches with combat load including the rifle, immediateaction drills for complex combat situations, life-saving techniques, field craft and battle craft etc which would prove beneficial to win battle even in adverse geographical condition."
The military training at IMA is divided into three terms for ensuring gradual development of a gentleman cadet from a civilian to an effective platoon commander.
The stress is more on physical and
military training and intellectual
development for achieving high standard of physical fitness, military bearing, discipline and drill and later, emphasis is gradually shifted from physical training to
service training which includes
tactical training, weapon training, field engineering, radio telephony, map reading,
intelligence and security, organisation and administration along with an integrated character and leadership training.