Hundred Years of Signalling 1911 to 2011

100 YEARS OF SIGNALLING (1911-2011)-SEMAPHORE TO SATELLITE (Lt Gen Harbhajan Singh, PVSM)

The journey of Corps of Signals through 100 years of its existence has been aSaga of rich heritage, providing communications often under fire, in hostile climatic and terrainconditions, in undivided India, after independence and in many corners of the world. The Corpshas excelled in fulfilling its role during war, in insurgency milieu, peace, in aid to civil authorityduring man made or natural disasters and for peace keeping under the United Nations in a number of countries. Its performance has stood up to its motto of Certa Cito,Tez-o-Sahi(after Independence) and afterwards Teevra Chaukas. Many brave Signallers paid the supreme sacrifice but kept the communications THROUGH, in the best traditions of the Corps of Signals and theIndian Army. We pay homage to them.The means of signal communications available at various times through these 100 yearsdepended on the technology in vogue, to fulfill the war and peace time requirements of the IndianArmy at different times. Before Independence, the British brought in the technology, ideas andmeans of communications from England, for both military and civil communications in India.After Independence on 15 Aug 1947, the sources of technology and equipment were diversified.While, the Soviet Union became major supplier for lethal weapons and platforms like aircraft, shipsand tanks, the communication equipment bore the stamp of Western countries. Gradually, localassembly and manufacturing capacity was set up in India, mostly in the Public Sector. After theeconomic and industrial liberalization in 1991, the electronics scene in India changed and it became possible for the civil sector to start supplying equipment, at times with foreign collaboration. Thecontributions of our Defence Scientists and the public and private sector companies has been of very high standards.
The Corps has excelled in adapting available technology and modernization/updating of means of communications to meet the changing operational scenarios. Those at the helm in SignalsDirectorate showed great vision and organizational skills to keep the Corps contemporary in itsthinking, communication systems, equipment, training and organizations.The Corps of Signals has also been responsible for introducing new systems likeComputers electronic warfare, signal intelligence in the Army and training personnel of all armsand services as also the Navy and the Air Force.
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100 Years of Signalling 1911 to 2011 by Lt Gen Harbhajan Singh, PVSM
Note: A thirteen Paged Article- an abridged version has been published in SIGNALMAN Feb Issue. Download and save it for reading at leisure. This is published in SCRIBD. Use + and - signs to increase/ decrease font and up and down arrows for pages.