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{{short description|Division of the Indian Army}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2009}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 1st Armoured Division
| image = 1 Armoured Division, Indian Army.svg
| image_size =
| caption = Formation Badge of the 1st Armoured Division
| start_date = {{start date and age|1945|09|1|df=yes}}
| country = {{flagu|India|size=23px}}
| branch = {{army|India|size=23px}}
| allegiance =
| command_structure = [[II Corps (India)|II Corps]]
| type = [[Division (military)#Armoured division|Armoured]]
| role =
| size = [[Division (military)#India|Division]]
| garrison = [[Patiala]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/chandigarh/western-command-chief-reviews-preparedness-of-airawat-division-263706|title=Western Command chief reviews preparedness of Airawat Division|date=5 June 2021|access-date=27 October 2021}}</ref>
| ceremonial_chief =
| nickname = ''Airawat Division'' (The Black Elephant Division)
| motto =
| colors =
| march =
| mascot = The [[Indian elephant]]
| commander1 =
| commander1_label =
| commander2 =
| commander2_label =
| commander3 =
| commander3_label =
| commander4 =
| commander4_label =
| notable_commanders = [[Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri]]<br/>[[Rajinder Singh Sparrow|Rajinder Singh 'Sparrow']]
| battles = [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]
| anniversaries =
}}

The '''1st Armoured Division''' is an armoured division of the [[Indian Army]], headquartered at Patiala, Punjab. It is part of [[II Corps (India)|II Corps]] of the [[Indian Army|Indian Army's]] [[Western Command (India)|Western Command]].

==Formation==
The division was formed when the [[31st Indian Armoured Division]] was re-designated on 1 September 1945.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.orbat.com/site/history/historical/india/armd_divsww2.html |title=Indian Armored Divisions in World War II |date=25 August 2002 |first=Ravi |last=Rikhye |website=orbat.com |accessdate=1 April 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808125947/http://www.orbat.com/site/history/historical/india/armd_divsww2.html |archivedate=8 August 2014}}</ref>

The 1st Armoured Division was one of two divisional headquarters transferred from the [[British Indian Army]] to the [[Indian Army]] upon the [[partition of British India]] in August 1947.{{refn|group=fn|A third divisional headquarters, of the 4th Indian Division, had become the [[Punjab Boundary Force]].{{sfnp|Rinaldi|Rikhye|2011|p=33}}}} At the time, it had its divisional headquarters at [[Secunderabad]] and the 43rd Lorried Infantry Brigade away with the [[Punjab Boundary Force]]. In June 1946, the wartime [[255th Indian Tank Brigade]] was redesignated as 1st Armoured Brigade and assigned to 1st Armoured Division.{{sfnp|Rinaldi|Rikhye|2011|p=166}}

==Operation Polo==
{{Main|Annexation of Hyderabad}}
The division played a major role in [[Operation Polo]], the integration of [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]] into the Indian Union in 1948. During this time Major General [[Joyanto Nath Chaudhuri]] was serving as the division's commander, also serving as Military Governor of the state in the immediate aftermath of the invasion. For the Hyderabad operation, the division controlled the 1st Armoured Brigade and the 7th and 9th Infantry Brigades.{{sfnp|Rinaldi|Rikhye|2011|p=35}}

The order of battle (ORBAT) for the division was as follows<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/archives/MONITOR/ISSUE2-3/lns.html|title=Operation Polo: The Liberation Of Hyderabad|date=1 November 1999|access-date=27 October 2021}}</ref>-

'''Strike Force'''
*9 [[Dogra Regiment|Dogra]]
*[[1st Horse (Skinner's Horse)|Skinner's Horse]] (minus one squadron)
*1 troop Division HQ Squadron
*Battery [[1 Field Regiment (India)|1 Field Regiment (Self Propelled)]]
*1 Forward Air Control team

'''Smash Force''' - 1 Armoured Brigade (Brigadier S.D Verma)
*[[3rd Cavalry Regiment (India)|3 Cavalry]] (minus one squadron)
*[[Poona Horse|17 Horse]] (minus one squadron)
*One troop Skinner's Horse
*[[1 Field Regiment (India)|1 Field Regiment (Self Propelled)]] (less one battery)
*2nd Battery [[40 Field Regiment (India)|40 Medium Regiment]]
*One company 9 Dogra

'''Kill Force''' - 7 Infantry Brigade (Brigadier Gurbachan Singh)
*2 [[Sikh Regiment|Sikh]]
*3 [[The Grenadiers|Grenadiers]]
*14 [[Rajput Regiment|Rajput]]
*[[9 (Parachute) Field Regiment (India)|9 Para Field Regiment]]

'''Vir Force''' - 9 Infantry Brigade (Brigadier Apji Randhir Singh)
*3 [[Punjab Regiment (India)|Punjab]]
*2/[[1st Gorkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment)|1 Gorkha Rifles]]
*[[34 Field Regiment (India)|34 Anti Tank Regiment]]

==Indo-Pakistani War of 1965==
{{Main|Indo-Pakistani War of 1965}}

The 1st Armoured Division with Major General [[Rajinder Singh Sparrow|Rajinder Singh 'Sparrow']] as the [[General officer commanding|GOC]] played an important role in the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]. He was awarded the [[Mahavir Chakra]] for his role during the war.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/LAND-FORCES/Army/Galleries/Wars/1965/I/0597.jpg.html |title=Major General Rajinder Singh Sparrow, MVC, GOC 1st Armoured Division |work=[[Bharat Rakshak]] |accessdate=7 July 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120601235055/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/LAND-FORCES/Army/Galleries/Wars/1965/I/0597.jpg.html |archivedate=1 June 2012}}</ref><ref name=today>{{cite magazine |title=Former Congress (I) MP Rajinder Singh Sparrow passes away: Signposts |magazine=[[India Today]] |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/signposts/story/19940515-former-congressi-mp-rajinder-singh-sparrow-passes-away-809153-1994-05-14 |date=15 May 1994 |access-date=7 July 2014}}</ref>

The division was part of the [[I Corps (India)|I Corps]] on the western front. The order of battle was as follows<ref>{{cite book|last=Singh|first=Harbaksh |title=War Despatches: Indo-Pak Conflict 1965|date=2012|publisher= Lancer Publishers LLC|isbn=978-8170621171|page=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiandefencereview.com/spotlights/battle-of-phillora-1965-war/|title=Battle of Phillora 1965 War|date=20 October 2020|access-date=27 October 2021}}</ref>-

'''1 Armoured Division''' (Major General Rajinder Singh)
*'''1 Armoured Brigade''' (Brigadier [[Khem Karan Singh]])
**[[Poona Horse|17 Horse]]
**[[16th Light Cavalry|16 Light Cavalry]]
**[[62 Cavalry (India)|62 Cavalry]] (was also part of other formations)
*'''43 Lorried Infantry Brigade''' (Brigadier HS Dhillon)
**[[2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse)|2 Lancers]]
**8 [[Garhwal Rifles]]
**5 [[Jat Regiment|Jat]]
**5/[[9th Gorkha Rifles|9 Gorkha Rifles]]
*Divisional Reserves
**[[4th Horse (Hodson's Horse)|4 Horse]]
**9 [[Dogra Regiment|Dogra]]
*'''1 Artillery Brigade''' (Brigadier [[Om Prakash Malhotra|OP Malhotra]])
**[[2 Medium Regiment (India)|2 Field Regiment (SP)]]
**[[71 Field Regiment (India)|71 Medium Regiment]]
**[[101 Field Regiment (India)|101 Field Regiment (SP)]]
*Brigades under temporary operational command
**35 Infantry Brigade (from 9 to 16 September 1965)
**116 Infantry Brigade (from 9 to 12 September 1965)
**58 Infantry Brigade (from 12 to 16 September 1965)

The major battles fought by the division include the [[Battle of Phillora]] and the [[Battle of Chawinda]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.claws.in/images/journals_doc/20072578_ArmourOperationsIndoPakconflict1965.pdf|title=Armour Operations:Indo-Pak Conflict 1965|date=|access-date=28 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/tales-of-valour-the-battle-of-phillora-and-chawinda/702786|title=Tales of Valour: The Battle of Phillora and Chawinda|date=4 January 2021|access-date=27 October 2021}}</ref> At the time of the cease-fire, 1 Corps held around 500 square kilometres of Pakistani territory and had caused substantial damage to the enemy armour. Lieutenant Colonel [[Ardeshir Tarapore|A B Tarapore]], 17 Horse was posthumously awarded the [[Param Vir Chakra]], Major General Rajinder Singh, GOC, 1 Armoured Division, Brig KK Singh, Commander 1 Armoured Brigade, Lieutenant Colonel MMS Bakshi, Commandant 4 Horse, and Major Bhupinder Singh, 4 Horse were awarded the [[Maha Vir Chakra]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1966/O-1662-1966-0007-75752.pdf|title=Gazette of India, No 7|date=12 February 1966|access-date=1 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1966/O-1662-1966-0001-75746.pdf|title=Gazette of India, No 1|date=1 January 1966|access-date=1 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sainiksamachar.nic.in/englisharchives/2015/sep16-15/h2.htm|title=Operations of 1 Corps|date=15 September 2015|access-date=1 May 2021}}</ref>

==Indo-Pakistani War of 1971==
{{Main|Indo-Pakistani War of 1971}}

The division was under the [[XI Corps (India)|XI Corps]], but did not see action. The order of battle (ORBAT) for the division was as follows<ref name="Gill 2003">{{cite book|last=Gill|first=JH|title=An Atlas Of 1971 India Pakistan War - Creation of Bangladesh|date=2003|publisher=National Defense University, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies|page=88}}</ref>-

'''1 Armoured Division''' (Major General Gurbachan Singh)
*93 Independent Reconnaissance Squadron (from 65 Armoured Regiment)
*'''1 Armoured Brigade''' (Brigadier N.S. Cheema)
**[[2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse)|2 Lancers]]
**[[65th Armoured Regiment (India)|65 Armoured Regiment]]
**[[67th Armoured Regiment (India)|67 Armoured Regiment]]
**[[68th Armoured Regiment (India)|68 Armoured Regiment]]
(all equipped with [[Vijayanta]] tanks)
*'''43 Lorried Infantry Brigade''' (Brigadier Ramesh Chandra)
**1 [[Madras Regiment|Madras]]
**1 [[Jat Regiment|Jat]]
**1 [[Garhwal Rifles]]
(all equipped with [[OT-62 TOPAS|TOPAS]] armoured personnel carriers)

==The Present==
Following the [[1971 Indo-Pakistani war]], the division was re-organised with the 1st and 43rd Armoured Brigades and relocated in 1972 to [[Ambala Cantonment|Ambala]]. In 1984, it was reorganized with the 1st, 43rd and 98th Armoured Brigades.{{sfnp|Rinaldi|Rikhye|2011|p=35}} At present, the Divisional Headquarters is located at Patiala as are the 43 and 98 Armoured Brigades. 1 Armoured Brigade is located at [[Nabha]] and 1 Artillery Brigade at Ambala.

==Footnotes==
{{reflist|group=fn}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
;Bibliography
* {{cite book|first1=Richard |last1=Rinaldi |first2=Ravi |last2=Rikhye |title=Indian Army Order of Battle |publisher=General Data LLC |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-98205-417-8 |name-list-style=amp}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1st Armoured Division (India)}}
[[Category:Divisions of the Indian Army]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1945]]
[[Category:Armored divisions]]

1st Armoured Division India - Revision history

JulianaThurston at 18:14, 5 March 2026