Counter-insurgency and Jungle Warfare School

Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School
Motto	Fight the guerrilla like a guerrilla
Established	1967[1]
Type	Military Academy
Location	Vairengte, Mizoram, India

The Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School (CIJW) in Vairengte, Mizoram, India is a training and research establishment of the Indian Army specializing in unconventional warfare, especially counter-insurgency and guerrilla warfare. CIJW is one of the premier counter-insurgency training institutions in the world.^[2] The school's motto is to "fight the guerrilla like a guerrilla".

History

The original plans to set up a counter-insurgency unit to train soldiers came about following the government response to the Mizo militancy in the 1960s. Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, then the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-IN-C) of the Indian Army's Eastern Command, was the first proponent for the institute.^[3]

CIJW was established in 1967 as the Jungle Training School. It was initially located in Mynkre, near Jowal in Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya. In 1968, the designation was changed to Eastern Command Counter Insurgency Training School. On 1 May 1970, it was upgraded to a Category A Training Establishment of the Indian Army, given its current name and relocated to Vairengte. Brigadier Mathew Thomas was appointed the school's first Commandant.

The crisis in neighbouring East Pakistan and the resulting liberation struggle for Bangladesh prompted a temporary refocus as the Mukti Bahini guerrillas were trained at the institute. Operation Jackpot undertaken by the Mukti Bahini rebels was an instance of the school's training success. Since the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, CIJW has focused to its primary role of counter-insurgency training.

CIJW has hosted visiting military units for training from the United States, Singapore, Nepal, Bhutan, Russia, United Kingdom, France, Bangladesh and many other nations.

The success of this school prompted the establishment of another counter-insurgency training centre, the Kaziranga Special Jungle Warfare Training School in Assam.^[2]

References

1. ^ "Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School". Indian Army. http://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTemp1PLargeTC1C.aspx?MnId=RQiDAvod5m1Hgme1gycgXg==&ParentID=aisMjYhWXV9GKTq0nBoJew==. Retrieved 2011-11-16. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "India takes the fight to guerrillas". Asia Times Online. 2004-11-20. http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/FK20Df02.html. Retrieved 2011-11-16. 
3. ^ "Back to school...". Rediff.com. 2000-02-21. http://www.rediff.com/news/2000/feb/21varsha.htm. Retrieved 2011-11-16.