According to a news article published in The Times Of India, apart from the fundamental skills such as physical endurance, firing, and battlecraft, now the soldiers from the Indian army shall also learn mixed martial arts too. The force of 12 lakh has introduced a very standardized and unique combat drill without arms. It is called the AMAR or the Army Martial Arts Routine.
One of the members of the Indian army has told that the AMAR is a unique concept because it chooses the best parts from the martial arts of India and uses it in focusing more on an offensive method of assault training. This form of training is also very effective with improvised weapons and sharp edges. A senior officer from the Indian army has told TOI that by now the first batch has already undergone this five-week-long training. It had ninety-nine instructors and was conducted at Pune’s institute where the cadets get their physical training. It is the initial phase and so there will be about seven hundred instructors who shall teach the jawans training under different regiments.
On the occasion of Army Day which is on the 15 th of January, Manoj Pandey, the General of the Indian army has said that this form of mixed martial arts is not only going to keep the jawans fit physically but mentally too. A question has been asked by the TOI reporter on the significance of such training during such an advanced time. It is the age of smart bombs, standoff weapons for long distances, drones, hypersonic missiles, and electronic warfare. In the reply to this General Pandey said that although he does not want to highlight any tensions across the LOC but, this training shall keep the jawans prepared against the sudden forceful clashes between the Chinese and Indian military. The Chinese troops mostly come armed with spiked clubs, rods with nails on them, and batons just like the medieval times.
The jawans need to be prepared with all skills of the war so that they are capable of handling any sudden attack that comes forth. Other than the use of war weapons it also includes kinetic techniques such as combat with the hand. So, this training is very essential for that.
In the Indian army, wrestling and boxing have always been two of the most popular sports. And there are even a few regiments too that use their unique techniques of martial arts. A few of the soldiers for instance are very adept with Kalaripayattu which is Kerala’s ancient technique of martial arts. The Gorkha does their Khukri drills while the Sikh troops do Gatka. Even though there has not been any specific training program for these as such but they are very much encouraged to practice and keep themselves ready for combat.
AMAR shall create a mandatory skillset for the jawans alongside their regular training. In the basic course, there are twenty-six moves, and in the advanced course, there are sixty-four moves. This training shall build mental toughness, discipline, coordination, and balance as well.