StevieBavin8727 at 06:11, 28 April 2026

2026-04-28T06:11:57Z

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{{Short description|Organization of the Indian Army during the Kargil War}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
[[File:Kargil.map.gif|thumb|290px|[[United States Navy|US Navy]] map of Kargil, 2008.]]

The '''Kargil War order of battle''' ([[Reporting name|KWORBAT]]), is a deposition and systematic combatant structure of the [[Indian Army]] troops and the unified [[Pakistan Armed Forces]] combat commands, active in the [[Kargil district|Kargil]] region in 1999, during the [[Kargil War]]. The Indian Army orbat is based on the publications provided by the Indian military authors, news media and official sources.

==India==
Indian Army infantry battalions were often transferred between brigade commands during the war, so sometimes appear under multiple brigades.
===Indian Army===
'''Northern Command''' (Lt Gen H. M. Khanna)
*[[XV Corps (India)|XV Corps]] (Lt Gen Kishan Pal)
*XV Corps Artillery Brigade (Brig Lakhwinder Singh)
*HQ [[8th Infantry Division (India)|8 Mountain Division]] (Maj Gen Mohinder Puri)
''Divisional Brigades''
*8 Mountain Artillery Brigade
*56 Mountain Brigade (Brig A.N. Aul)
**1st Battalion, [[Naga Regiment]]
**2nd Battalion, [[5th Gorkha Rifles]]
**2nd Battalion, [[Rajputana Rifles]]
**3rd Battalion, [[Rajputana Rifles]]
**18th Battalion, [[Garhwal Rifles]]
**13th Battalion, [[Jammu and Kashmir Rifles]]
**1st Battalion, [[3rd Gorkha Rifles]]
**9th Battalion, [[Parachute Regiment (India)|Parachute Regiment]] [[Special Forces]]
**ATGM Detachment, 17th Battalion, [[Brigade of the Guards]]
*192 Mountain Brigade
**18th Battalion, [[The Grenadiers]]
**8th Battalion, [[Sikh Regiment]]
**9th Battalion, [[Para (Special Forces)]]
**[[ATGM ]]Detachment, 17th Battalion, [[Brigade of the Guards]]
''Additional brigades''
*121 (Independent) Infantry Brigade
**16th Battalion, [[The Grenadiers]]
**4th Battalion, [[Jat Regiment]]
**3rd Battalion, [[Punjab Regiment (India)|Punjab Regiment]]
**10th Battalion, [[Garhwal Rifles]]
**8th Battalion, [[Border Security Force]]
**[[ATGM]] Detachment, 17th Battalion, [[Brigade of the Guards]]
*[[50th Parachute Brigade (India)|50 (Independent) Parachute Brigade]]
**6th Battalion, [[Parachute Regiment (India)|Parachute Regiment]]
**7th Battalion, [[Parachute Regiment (India)|Parachute Regiment]]
**1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment ([[Para (Special Forces)|Special Forces]])
**[[ATGM ]]Detachment, 19th Battalion, [[Brigade of the Guards]]
*79 Mountain Brigade (XV Corps reserve)
**17th Battalion, [[Jat Regiment]]
**28th Battalion, [[Rashtriya Rifles]]
**12th Battalion, [[Mahar Regiment]]
**2nd Battalion, [[Naga Regiment]]
'''3rd Infantry Division'''
*2 Engineer Regiment
*3 Artillery Brigade
*70 Infantry Brigade
**1st Battalion, [[11th Gorkha Rifles]]
**12th Battalion, [[Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry]]
**10th Battalion, Parachute Regiment ([[Special Forces]])
**1st Battalion, [[Bihar Regiment]]
**[[Ladakh Scouts]]
**17th Battalion, [[Garhwal Rifles]]
**5th Battalion, [[Parachute Regiment (India)|Parachute Regiment]]
**14th Battalion, [[Sikh Regiment]]
**ATGM Detachment, 19th Battalion, [[Brigade of the Guards]]
*102 (Independent) Infantry Brigade
**11th Battalion, [[Rajputana Rifles]]
**9th Battalion, [[Mahar Regiment]]
**13th Battalion, [[Kumaon Regiment]]
**27th Battalion, [[Rajput Regiment]]
**[[High Altitude Warfare School]] Permanent Cadre Detachment
**ATGM Detachment, 19th Battalion, [[Brigade of the Guards]]

'''Kargil Theatre Artillery'''<br>
These units took part in the war serving under various formations:<ref name="Mukherjee">{{cite web |url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/203255/6/chapter%204.pdf|title=Anjan Mukherjee in Evolution of Indian Artillery and its Impact on India's Comprehensive Military Power, chapter III|access-date=2022-02-28}}</ref>
*4 Field Regiment (now 4 Medium Regiment (Self Propelled))
*[[15 Medium Regiment (India)|15 Field Regiment (now 15 Medium Regiment)]]
*[[41 Field Regiment (India)|41 Field Regiment]]
*108 Medium Regiment (now 108 Field Regiment)
*114 Medium Regiment
*139 Medium Regiment
*141 Field Regiment (now 141 Medium Regiment)
*[[153 Medium Regiment (India)|153 Medium Regiment]] (now 153 Medium Regiment (Self Propelled))
*158 Medium Regiment (Self Propelled)
*197 Field Regiment (now 197 Medium Regiment)
*212 Rocket Regiment
*831 Light regiment
*244 Heavy Mortar Regiment (now 244 Field Regiment)
*253 Medium Regiment
*255 Field Regiment (now 255 Medium Regiment)
*[[286 Field Regiment (India)|286 Medium Regiment (now 286 Field Regiment)]]
*305 Medium Regiment (now 305 Field Regiment)
*307 Medium Regiment
*315 Field Regiment
*1861 Light Regiment
*[[1889 Missile Regiment (India)|1889 Light Regiment (now 1889 Missile Regiment)]]

'''Other battalions'''<ref>This list is compiled from newspaper and casualty reports.</ref>
**5th Battalion, [[Special Frontier Force]]
**663 Reconnaissance & Observation Squadron
**668 Reconnaissance & Observation Squadron
**13th Battalion, [[Punjab Regiment (India)|Punjab Regiment]]
**12th Battalion, [[The Grenadiers]]
**22nd Battalion, [[The Grenadiers]]
**7th Battalion, [[Jat Regiment]]
**14th Battalion, [[Sikh Light Infantry]]
**9th Battalion, [[Rashtriya Rifles]]
**14th Battalion, [[Rashtriya Rifles]]
**17th Battalion, [[Rashtriya Rifles]]
**11th Battalion, [[Sikh Regiment]]
**3rd Battalion, [[Jammu and Kashmir Rifles]]
**16th Battalion, [[Dogra Regiment]]
**5th Battalion, [[Rajput Regiment]]
**9th Battalion, [[Mahar Regiment]]
**21st Battalion, Parachute Regiment (Special Forces)

===Indian Air Force===
Apart from the involvement of the Indian Army, the [[Indian Air Force]] (IAF) also participated in the Kargil War as part of [[Operation Safed Sagar]].
{| class="wikitable"
|+IAF Order of Battle <ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last= |date=2009-10-15 |title=Order of Battle and Unit Honours |url=https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/iaf/history/kargil/orbat/ |access-date=2026-04-22 |website=Indian Air Force |language=en-US}}</ref>
!Squadron number
!Squadron Name
!Equipment
!Commanding Officer
|-
| colspan="4" style="text-align: center;" |'''Combat Aircraft'''
|-
|[[No. 1 Squadron IAF]]
|''Tigers''
|Mirage 2000H
|Wing commander [[Sunderraman Neelakantan|S. Neelakanthan]]
|-
|[[No. 7 Squadron IAF]]
|''Battle Axes''
|Mirage 2000H
|Wing commander Sandeep Chabbra
|-
|[[No. 9 Squadron IAF]]
|''Wolfpack''
|MiG-27ML
|Wing commander Avtar Singh
|-
|[[No. 14 Squadron IAF]]
|''Bulls''
|SEPECAT Jaguar IS/IB
|Wing commander Ashwani Bhakoo
|-
|[[No. 17 Squadron IAF]]
|''Golden Arrows''
|MiG-21M
|Wing commander [[Birender Singh Dhanoa|BS Dhanoa]]
|-
|[[No. 27 Squadron IAF]]
|''Flaming Arrows''
|SEPECAT Jaguar IS
|Wing commander HKJS Shokay
|-
|[[No. 28 Squadron IAF]]
|''First Supersonics''
|MiG-29B
|Wing commander PM Cherian
Wing commander P Randhava
|-
|[[No. 51 Squadron IAF]]
|''Sword Arms''
|MiG-21 bis
|Wing commander NK Tandon
|-
|[[No. 102 Squadron IAF]]
|''Trisonics''
|MiG-25R
|Group Captain SP Ojha
|-
|[[No. 106 Squadron IAF]]
|''Lynxes''
|Canberra PR.57
|Group Captain RS Chaudhari
|-
|[[No. 108 Squadron IAF]]
|''Hawkeyes''
|MiG-21M
|Wing commander HS Jalliawala
|-
|[[No. 221 Squadron IAF]]
|''Valiants''
|MiG-23 BN
|Wing commander Ashit Mehta
|-
|[[No. 223 Squadron IAF]]
|''Tridents''
|MiG-29B
|Wing commander Sandeep Sud
|-
| colspan="4" style="text-align: center;" |'''Transport aircraft'''
|-
|[[No. 25 Squadron IAF]]
|''Himalayan Eagles''
|An-32 / Il-76
|Group Captain SP Singh
|-
|[[No. 48 Squadron IAF]]
|''Camels''
|An-32
|Group Captain Mk Devnath
|-
| colspan="4" style="text-align: center;" |'''Helicopter Units'''
|-
|[[No. 114 Helicopter Unit, IAF|No. 114 Helicopter Unit IAF]]
|''Siachen Pioneers''
|HAL Cheetah
|Wing commander AS Butola
|-
|[[No. 129 Helicopter Unit, IAF|No. 129 Helicopter Unit IAF]]
|''Nubra Warriors''
|Mil Mi-17
|Wing commander AK Sinha
|-
|[[No. 152 Helicopter Unit, IAF|No. 152 Helicopter Unit IAF]]
|''Mighty Armours''
|Mil Mi-17
|Wing commander S Mittal
|-
|[[No. 130 Helicopter Unit, IAF|No. 130 Helicopter Unit IAF]]
|''Condors''
|Mil Mi-8
|
|-
|No. 132 FAC Flight IAF
|
|HAL Cheetah
|Wing commander OS Ahluwalia
|}
In addition, the IAF also deployed three observation flights, five radar units, three units of [[S-125 Neva/Pechora|Pechora]] SAM's as well as a large battery of [[9K33 Osa|Osa]] and [[9K38 Igla|Igla]] units.<ref name=":7" />

=== Indian Navy ===
As a part of [[Operation Talwar]], The [[Indian Navy]] deployed a flotilla under the light carrier [[INS Viraat]] to the Arabian Sea.

==Pakistan==
Initially, the Kargil order of battle was planned by the Directorate-General for Military Operations (DGMO), Brig. Gen. Nadeem Ahmed. However, after the IAF strike and Indian advancement in the region, the [[Pakistan Air Force]] and the [[Pakistan Navy|Navy]] deployed and issued orders to their combat forces. Their missions were to conduct surveillance and air patrolling; no other combat units of PAF and Navy participated in the combat. The inter-services order of battle is mentioned in the table. According to the Pakistan news channels reports and military declassified information, the Kargil infiltration was comprehensively planned by the joint officers at the [[Joint Staff Headquarters (Pakistan)|Joint staff Headquarters]], a joint office secretariat which then-served under General [[Pervez Musharraf]].

From the start of the conflict, there were numerous inter-services meetings coordinated by the chairman joint chiefs, to Prime Minister [[Nawaz Sharif]]. The controversy still surrounds in the military science circle of the Pakistan armed forces, with chief of naval staff and chief of air staff including key theatre commanders of army combatant corps, bringing up the accusations that the Kargil front was launched without their knowledge or confidence.

===Pakistan Army===
* [[Northern Light Infantry#Units|5th Battalion, Northern Light Infantry Regiment]]
* [[Northern Light Infantry#Units|6th Battalion, Northern Light Infantry Regiment]]
* [[Northern Light Infantry#Units|12th Battalion, Northern Light Infantry Regiment]]<ref name="en.wikipedia.org">[[Nishan i Haider]]</ref>
* [[Northern Light Infantry#Units|13th Battalion, Northern Light Infantry Regiment]]
* [[Sindh Regiment#Units|24th Battalion, Sindh Regiment]]<ref>In the [[Force Command Northern Areas|FCNA]] region from October 1998 onwards</ref>
* [[Sindh Regiment#Units|27th Battalion, Sindh Regiment]]

===Pakistan Air Force===
* ''Note'': No PAF F-16s took active participation in the conflict. All PAF missions were to conduct [[combat air patrol]]s in the area.
**[[List of Pakistan Air Force Bases|No. 38 Multirole Group]]
**[[No. 9 Squadron Griffins|No. 9 Squadron ''Griffins'']] and [[No. 11 Squadron Arrows|No. 11 Squadron ''Arrows'']].
****The [[F-16 Fighting Falcon|F-16]]s belonging to [[No. 9 Squadron Griffins|''Griffins'']] [[No. 11 Squadron Arrows|''Arrows'']] were deployed in the region.<ref name="General F-16 News">{{cite web|last=Lieven Dewitte|title=PAF F-16s deployed in Skardu|url=http://www.f-16.net/news_article602.html|work=July 3, 1999|publisher=General F-16 News|accessdate=7 February 2013|archive-date=28 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130128084721/http://www.f-16.net/news_article602.html|url-status=live}}</ref> No F-16s took active participation in the conflict.<ref name="PAF operations">{{cite web|title=Kargil Conflict and Pakistan Air Force|date=28 January 2009 |url=https://kaiser-aeronaut.blogspot.com/2009/01/kargil-conflict-and-pakistan-air-force.html|publisher=PAF operations|accessdate=7 February 2013|archive-date=8 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708044739/http://kaiser-aeronaut.blogspot.com/2009/01/kargil-conflict-and-pakistan-air-force.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Pakistan Navy===
*''Note'': No Navy units took active participation. The Navy was on high-alert but strictly ordered by Admiral Bokhari not to escalate the crises into sea. Although, Navy had its own significance in the Kargil theatre, but no crucial operations and efforts were applied or undertaken by Navy to support the army. According to the chief of naval staff, General [[Pervez Musharraf]], as chairman joint chiefs, had failed to take navy into confidence prior to the start of the conflict.
**[[Pakistan Navy|Pakistan Navy Commander Karachi]]<ref name="GLobal war">{{cite web|title=Navy in Kargil war|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/kargil-99.htm|publisher=GLobal war|accessdate=7 February 2013|archive-date=17 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817042758/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/kargil-99.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
**[[Pakistan Naval Air Arm]]
***The Pakistan Navy, in a defensive mood, directed all its units to keep clear of Indian naval ships. As the exercise shifted closer to the Makaran Coast, Pakistan moved all its major combatants out of Karachi. The Navy remained on high-alert, although orders were not to escalate the crises to sea. The Navy launched surveillance operations; Karachi port remained on high-alert.<ref>{{cite book|last=Hiranandani|first=G.M.|title=Transition to guardianship : the Indian navy 1991–2000|year=2009|publisher=Published by Principal Director of Administration, Integrated Headquarters, Ministry of Defence (Navy) [in association with] Lancer Publishers|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-1-935501-26-8|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q9VEoqA24BIC&q=Pakistan+Navy+in+kargil&pg=PA67|access-date=28 November 2020|archive-date=17 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221017172739/https://books.google.com/books?id=q9VEoqA24BIC&q=Pakistan+Navy+in+kargil&pg=PA67|url-status=live}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
27 Sind

==Sources==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070704044414/http://www.ordersofbattle.darkscape.net/site/history/index.html Indian Army – Kargil War 1999 v.2.0 8 March 2006] Mandeep S. Bajwa & Ravi Rikhye
* [http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/India/KargilRCA.html Kargil Committee Report Executive Summary]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kargil Order Of Battle}}
[[Category:Kargil War]]
[[Category:Pakistan Air Force]]
[[Category:Pakistan Army]]
[[Category:Naval operations involving Pakistan]]
[[Category:Nawaz Sharif administration]]
[[Category:1999 in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Controversies in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Government of Pakistan secrecy]]
[[Category:Orders of battle]]

Kargil War order of battle - Revision history

StevieBavin8727 at 06:11, 28 April 2026