The Hindu : Corps of Signals turns 92

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 16, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Corps of Signals turns 92

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore Feb. 15. They provide communications, a vital support for any military operation. From carrier pigeons and Morse code to satellites, the Indian Army's Corps of Signals has kept pace with the communications revolution.

The Corps of Signals, which celebrated its 92nd anniversary here on Saturday, can actually trace its origins to 1880 when two companies of the Bengal Sappers and Miners were converted into the first telegraph units of the army. The official `Raising Day' is February 15, 1911, when the 31st and 32nd Divisional Signal Companies were established.

The corps has steadily kept abreast with current developments in communications and, in some cases, pioneered emerging technologies. Even till the 70s, field communications was based on cables, hand-cranked telephones, and massive radios using valves. The 80s heralded the network era and communications in the army began to see a transition.

At that time, two networks were required: a static network based on fixed nodes to form the backbone, and a robust, adaptive network based on mobile nodes and switching centres for field communications. So, the corps embarked on its Engineered Network or PlanAREN. This was based on indigenously developed equipment, and integrated several systems to suit the needs of combat communications. Such a system was available to very few armies in the world at that time.

With the Information Technology era, the Corps of Signals began pioneering the use of computers and is marching ahead with several futuristic projects involving modernisation of existing systems and incorporating new systems. These include ATM switching, IP, ISDN, OFC, mobile satellite stations, radio trunking, and CDMA systems. Some of these will even have an impact on civilian infrastructure.

Col. K. Ragunathan of the Corps of Signals told presspersons here on Saturday that rapid steps had been taken in communication, miniaturisation, digitisation, network topology, and convergence to provide integrated services.

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