Indian Military Training Team
The Indian Military Training Team (IMTRAT), established since 1961–62,[1][2] 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.[3] IMTRAT is headquartered at Haa Dzong in Western Bhutan.
History
In May 1961,
On 20 July 1962, Colonel B. N. Upadhyay of the 9th Gorkha Rifles took over as First Commandant of IMTRAT. His initial team had about 15 officers.[1]
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.[2]
Commandant
The office of the commandant was held by an officer of the rank of
Bhutan does not have a Minister of Defence, so the Commandant of IMTRAT acts as an informal advisor to the King of Bhutan, who is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the RBA.[4]
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
See also
References
- ^ a b "Official website of Indian Army". 19 June 2009. Archived from the original on 19 June 2009.
- ^ a b "The Official Home Page of the Indian Army". www.indianarmy.nic.in.
- ^ "Indian Army helicopter crashes in Bhutan, two dead". Deccan Herald. 27 September 2019.
- ^ Mehta, Gen Ashok K. (11 December 2018). "Year and a half later, Doklam has only reinforced India's stature in Bhutan". ThePrint.
- ^ "The Official Home Page of the Indian Army". www.indianarmy.nic.in.
- ^ "The Official Home Page of the Indian Army". www.indianarmy.nic.in.