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[[File:Haa-Dzong Bhutan.jpg|thumb|300px|The Haa Dzong, which houses the Headquarters of IMTRAT]]

'''The Indian Military Training Team''' (IMTRAT), established since 1961–62,<ref name=bhu1/><ref name=bhu2/> is a training mission of the [[Indian Army]] in [[Bhutan]]. IMTRAT is responsible for the training of the personnel of the [[Royal Bhutan Army]] (RBA) and the [[Royal Bodyguard of Bhutan]] (RBG). It is the oldest training team sent outside India to a friendly foreign nation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Indian Army helicopter crashes in Bhutan, two dead |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/indian-army-helicopter-crashes-in-bhutan-two-dead-764455.html |website=Deccan Herald |language=en |date=27 September 2019}}</ref> IMTRAT is headquartered at [[Haa District|Haa]] Dzong in Western Bhutan.

==History==
In May 1961, [[Government of India]] sent a team of military officers and men on a [[reconnaissance]] mission to Bhutan. The team was led by BGS [[XXXIII Corps (India)|XXXIII Corps]] Brigadier [[Jagjit Singh Aurora|J. S. Aurora]] (who later became [[Lieutenant General (India)|Lieutenant General]] and [[Eastern Command (India)|Eastern Army Commander]] during the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]).

On 20 July 1962, [[Colonel (India)|Colonel]] B. N. Upadhyay of the [[9th Gorkha Rifles]] took over as First Commandant of IMTRAT. His initial team had about 15 officers.<ref name=bhu1>{{cite web |url=http://indianarmy.nic.in/index_imtrat.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090619071023/http://indianarmy.nic.in/index_imtrat.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 June 2009 |date=19 June 2009|title=Official website of Indian Army }}</ref>

The Wangchuk Lo Dzong Military School (WLDMS) was raised on 16 October 1962 and commenced training with 22 officer cadets and 49 non-commissioned officers.<ref name=bhu2>{{cite web |title=The Official Home Page of the Indian Army |url=https://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTempSimple.aspx?MnId=GM+P6bUEZjN9o7UOtQColg==&ParentID=HUo5fTOCfTvFB83g/pY4YA==&flag=3y0lHGExGEt417VNAMApjA== |website=www.indianarmy.nic.in}}</ref>

==Commandant==
The office of the commandant was held by an officer of the rank of [[Colonel (India)|colonel]], but was later upgraded to [[brigadier]]. Currently, the commandant is a [[Two-star rank|two-star]] appointment.

Bhutan does not have a Minister of Defence, so the Commandant of IMTRAT acts as an informal advisor to the [[Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck|King of Bhutan]], who is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the RBA.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mehta |first1=Gen Ashok K. |title=Year and a half later, Doklam has only reinforced India's stature in Bhutan |url=https://theprint.in/opinion/year-and-a-half-later-doklam-has-only-reinforced-indias-stature-in-bhutan/161744/ |website=ThePrint |date=11 December 2018}}</ref>

==Establishments==
Apart from the WLDMS, IMTRAT runs the Indo-Bhutan Friendship Hospital (IBFH). It was established in 1970 and was inaugurated by the then-Commandant [[Major general (India)|Major General]] T. V. Jeganathan, {{small|[[Param Vishisht Seva Medal|PVSM]], [[AVSM]]}}. IMTRAT also runs a mobile clinic at Haa.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Official Home Page of the Indian Army |url=https://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTempSimple.aspx?MnId=tnD//JfJV3KAiTn+acnItQ==&ParentID=7cXl9tuC1J76mms9/oL2vg==&flag=8CKP966uzg96kLov0aWdfQ== |website=www.indianarmy.nic.in}}</ref>
The Indian Army also maintains a detachment in the capital city of [[Thimphu]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The Official Home Page of the Indian Army |url=https://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTempSimple.aspx?MnId=P46M1zDEAO7MFS+RAsA+ig==&ParentID=ggPmqhga3KIdp6iPHVUGWQ==&flag=8CKP966uzg96kLov0aWdfQ== |website=www.indianarmy.nic.in}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Royal Bhutan Army]]
* [[Bhutan–India relations]]
* [[List of countries with overseas military bases#India|Overseas Military bases of India]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Indian Army}}

[[Category:Bhutan–India relations]]
[[Category:Army units and formations of India]]
[[Category:Indian Overseas Military bases]]
[[Category:Military of Bhutan]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1962]]