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{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=131 Air Defence Regiment
|image=
|caption=
|dates= 1968 – present
|country={{flag icon|India}} [[India]]
|allegiance=India
|branch= [[File:Flag of Indian Army.svg|24px]] [[Indian Army]]
|type= [[Corps of Army Air Defence]]
|role=
|size= Regiment
|command_structure=
|equipment= [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/70|40 mm L/70]]

|Past Commanders=
|ceremonial_chief=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|notable_commanders=

|identification_symbol=131 AD Regt
|identification_symbol_label=Abbreviation

|nickname= “The Only Ones”
|patron=
|motto= [[Sanskrit]]: {{lang|sa|आकाशे शत्रुन् जहि}} <br />[[English language|English]]: {{lang|en|Defeat the Enemy in the Sky}}
|colors= Sky Blue and Red
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=
|anniversaries=
|decorations=
|battle_honours=
}}

'''131 Air Defence Regiment''' is an [[Air Defence]] regiment of the [[Indian Army]].

== Formation ==
The regiment was raised on 24 September 1968 as a [[Territorial Army (India)|territorial army]] regiment at [[Siliguri]], West Bengal.<ref name="131APOCover">{{cite web|url=https://www.philamart.com/Listing/Details/3082177/131-Air-Defence-RegimentIndian-Army-Postal-Cover-APO|title=131 AD-Golden Jubilee Indian Army Postal Cover|date=2018-09-26|accessdate=2021-05-13|archive-date=2021-05-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513111551/https://www.philamart.com/Listing/Details/3082177/131-Air-Defence-RegimentIndian-Army-Postal-Cover-APO|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Tribune">{{cite web|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/1999/99sep14/j&k.htm|title="The Only Ones" on adventure trail|date=1999-09-14|access-date=2021-05-13}}</ref>

== History ==
At the time of its formation, the Regiment was equipped with [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|Bofors 40 mm L-60]] anti-aircraft guns, it had inherited from 106 Heavy Anti Aircraft Territorial Army. On 15 September 1973, the regiment was converted into a regular air defence regiment. In due course, it was equipped with the [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/70|40 mm L/70]] gun and the [[Super Fledermaus]] radar.<ref name="131APOCover"/> It presently also has the [[Flycatcher (radar)|Flycatcher (KL/MSS-6720) radar system]] and the Tactical Control Radar (TCR).

==Operations==
The regiment has taken part in the following operations-<ref name="131APOCover"/><ref name="Tribune"/>
*[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]: It provided air defence protection to 16 Field Ammunition Depot, [[Bagdogra Airport|Bagdogra Airfield]], [[XXXIII Corps (India)|33 Corps]] Signal Centre, Shahbad signal unit and other locations.
*[[Operation Brasstacks|Operation Trident]]: It provided cover to Ammunition Supply Depot and Mirthal bridge between January and May 1987.
*Operation Rakshak: Between June 1990 and March 1991 at [[Vadodara|Baroda]] and [[Jamnagar]].
*[[Bombay riots]]: The regiment aided civil authority during the Mumbai riots (Operation Vyavastha) in December 1992.
*[[Kargil War|Operation Vijay]]: Various subunits provided air defence protection from May 1999. The unit was repositioned in the order of battle with 785 (Independent) Air Defence Brigade from July 1999 in the [[II Corps (India)|2 Corps]] zone.
*[[2001–02 India–Pakistan standoff|Operation Parakram]]: Subunits provided air defence protection between December 2001 to December 2002 to Headquarters [[X Corps (India)|10 Corps]], Corps Logistics Node North, Corps Logistics Node South, [[Bhatinda]] railway station and Ammunition Depots.
*[[2008 Mumbai attacks]]: One column of the unit was mobilised to cordon [[Taj Mahal Palace Hotel|Hotel Taj]] at Mumbai, after the terrorists stuck and took people hostage.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/army-proposes-special-units-to-fight-urban-terrorism/story-iodq10frsCx1iAM7BzCbCM.html|title=Army proposes special units to fight urban terrorism|date=2009-06-21|access-date=2021-05-13}}</ref>
*[[Indian Army operations in Jammu and Kashmir]]: Subunits of the regiment were deployed in counter insurgency operation in [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] between August 1993 and December 1995 and again between August 2015 and July 2017.

==Honours and Awards==
*131 AD Regiment was awarded the General Officer Commanding in Chief ([[Southern Command (India)|Southern Command]])’s Unit Citation in 2015<ref name="131APOCover"/>
*The Regiment has been awarded the Director General Army Air Defence’s (DGAAD) unit appreciation award three times (2005, 2008 and 2013).<ref name="131APOCover"/>
*In addition, it has won 4 [[Sena Medal]]s, 1 [[mentioned in dispatches]], 5 COAS Commendation Cards, 2 C-in-C Strategic Forces Commendation Cards, 1 Chief of Air Staff Commendation Card and 48 GOC-in-C Commendation Cards.<ref name="131APOCover"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTempSimple.aspx?MnId=q+M8o7aHZP97u9HPrbo/7A==&ParentID=E7YF2FlkY2tjamxTpNTETA==|title=Honours and Awards|date=|access-date=2021-05-13}}</ref>

==Notable Officers==
*Lieutenant General PK Pahwa, PVSM – 5th Commanding Officer and 1st [[Corps of Army Air Defence#Director General|Director General, Corps of Army Air Defence]]<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmPhotoGalleryWithMenuWithTitle.aspx?MnId=RujZ330pwQExDP0AaqqNFw==&ParentID=QLYdV0V+wiLSvKjAX8vYWg==&flag=8CKP966uzg96kLov0aWdfQ==|title=Director General|date=|access-date=2021-05-13}}</ref>
*Lieutenant General [[Ashwani Kumar (military officer)|Ashwini Kumar]], PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC – [[Adjutant-General (India)|Adjutant-General]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{#seo:
|keywords=Military units and formations established in 1968, Air defence regiments of the Indian Army, Air defence units and formations
|description=
}}

[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1968]]
[[Category:Air defence regiments of the Indian Army]]
[[Category:Air defence units and formations]]

131 AD Regiment - Revision history

CleanupBot at 04:29, 8 July 2023