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{{Short description|Artillery Regiment of the Indian Army}}{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=1812 Rocket Regiment (SMERCH)
|image=
|caption=
|dates= 1965 – present
|country={{flag icon|India}} [[India]]
|allegiance=India
|branch= [[File:Flag of Indian Army.svg|24px]] [[Indian Army]]
|type= [[File:Regiment of Artillery Insignia (India).svg|20px]] [[Artillery]]
|role=
|size= Regiment
|command_structure=
|equipment=

|Past Commanders=
|ceremonial_chief=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|notable_commanders=[[Sundararajan Padmanabhan|General Sundararajan Padmanabhan]]

|identification_symbol=
|identification_symbol_label=Abbreviation

|nickname=
|patron=
|motto=''SARVATRA, IZZAT-O-IQBAL'' “Everywhere With Honour and Glory”. “Nulli Secundus”
|colors= "Red & Navy Blue"
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=
|anniversaries=
|decorations= Vir Chakra 1 <ref name="ML Sharma at gallantryawards.gov.in">{{cite web|url=https://www.gallantryawards.gov.in/Awardee/madan-lal-sharma|title=ML Sharma VrC at gallantryawards.gov.in|date=|accessdate=2020-09-09|archive-date=2019-07-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718154057/http://gallantryawards.gov.in/Awardee/madan-lal-sharma|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|battle_honours=
}}

'''1812 Rocket Regiment''' is an artillery regiment which is part of the [[Regiment of Artillery (India)|Regiment of Artillery]] of the [[Indian Army]].

== Formation ==

1812 Rocket Regiment (SMERCH) was raised on 15 March 1965 as 181 Light Battery at Khoja Toll, [[Ranchi]] Cantt under the stewardship of Major P Banerji.<ref name="1812 Rocket Regiment (SMERCH)-Indian Army Postal Cover">{{cite web |url=https://www.philamart.com/Listing/Details/3051747/1812-Rocket-Regiment-SMERCHIndian-Army-Postal-Cover-APO|title=1812 Rocket Regiment (SMERCH)-Indian Army Postal Cover |date= |accessdate=2020-09-09}}</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Smerch Multiple Rocket Launcher System passes through the Rajpath, on the occasion of the 67th Republic Day Parade 2016, in New Delhi on January 26, 2016.jpg|thumb|305x305px|Smerch Multiple Rocket Launcher System of 1812 Rocket Regiment passes through the Rajpath, on the occasion of the 67th Republic Day Parade 2016|alt=|right]]

181 Light Battery was under 4 Mountain Artillery Brigade of the [[4th Infantry Division (India)|4 Mountain Division]] during the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]] in the [[Jhenaidah]]–[[Kushtia]] sector.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/203255/5/chapter%203.pdf|title=Anjan Mukherjee in Evolution of Indian Artillery and its Impact on India’s Comprehensive Military Power, chapter3, page 116 |date= |accessdate=2020-09-09}}</ref> It was equipped with 120 mm [[Tampella]] mortars.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/archives/OfficialHistory/1971War/1971Chapter12.pdf|title=1971 Official History|access-date=2021-11-26}}</ref>

In April 1972, 181 Light Battery was bifurcated into 1812 (1) and 1812 (2) Light Batteries. 1812(1) Light Battery earned a significant distinction when in 1975, it was commanded by [[Sundararajan Padmanabhan|Major S Padmananbhan]] who later went on to become the [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)|Chief of Army Staff]].<ref name="1812 Rocket Regiment (SMERCH)-Indian Army Postal Cover">{{cite web |url=https://www.philamart.com/Listing/Details/3051747/1812-Rocket-Regiment-SMERCHIndian-Army-Postal-Cover-APO|title=1812 Rocket Regiment (SMERCH)-Indian Army Postal Cover |date= |accessdate=2020-09-09}}</ref>

In 2009, the regiment took a pivotal step in its evolution when it was given the honour of converting to a Rocket Regiment equipped with the Russian-built [[BM-30 Smerch]] at [[Nasirabad, Ajmer]]. The regiment had the privilege to participate in the Republic Day parade, in New Delhi, on January 26, 2016.<ref name="Hindustan Times Article">{{cite web |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/business-news/ashok-leyland-bags-govt-order-to-supply-hmvs-to-carry-smerch-rockets/story-j7YVnaTsu4Cu1YaVuG938K.html|title=Hindustan Times Article – Republic Day 2016|date= |accessdate=2020-09-09}}</ref>
==See also==
*[[List of regiments of the Indian Army#Artillery|List of artillery regiments of Indian Army]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Artillery regiments of the Indian Army after 1947]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1965]]
{{India-mil-unit-stub}}

1812 Rocket Regiment India - Revision history

CleanupBot at 04:15, 22 March 2026