December 6, 2006 -- By Kyle Rawn

A new specialized force is ready to take on the insurgents in the Northeast regions of India and Jammu and Kashmir. Unlike traditional military methods of smoking out militants from jungles and training camps, this new force will sniff out the terrorists in their hazardous hideouts.

The Indian Army has raised a 12,000-strong Dog Army comprised of canine breeds such as German and Belgian Shepherds to nab insurgents on their own turf.

Insurgents operating in the north-eastern region and the Naxal belt of India have been trying to avoid detection by the military by using jungle warfare tactics and establishing camps in difficult terrains. The country's security forces are not equipped to efficiently seek out and destroy these remote outposts.

The Dog Army will also help save lives by sniffing out explosives and mines.

Sources say the idea to raise a special Dog Army was established after trained dogs achieved remarkable success in various anti-militancy operations. Once the proposal got the necessary clearance, the Dog Unit was raised over a period of months.

The Dog Army is now in place and it is ready to lead all counter-insurgency missions around the country.

Out of a total 85 units, 15 units will be deployed in the Northeast, 35 units will operate in Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the Dog army will work in the Naxal-infested areas under the Western and Southern Army Commands.

Each unit is comprised of 24 trained dogs, mostly shepherds and Labradors.

The Army reported a steep rise in the success rates of its operations against the militants with the use of these dogs. "Now, virtually every Army unit deployed in counter insurgency operations has a unit of these dogs," Army sources said.

Labradors now lead all anti-militancy and road-opening missions in Jammu and Kashmir, while the shepherds handle the bulk of the mine and explosive hunting missions.

These dogs have already shown they can save lives for the forces in many instances as they have led patrols to uncover deeply dug mines in the North-East as well as Jammu and Kashmir.

"It is this success that there is virtually a clamour from para-military forces for such trained dogs in carrying out anti-Naxal operations in the country's heartland," an Army official was quoted as saying.

Their excellent work has even proven valuable in overseas missions. The 8,560 Indian troops currently deployed in UN Peacekeeping missions are accompanied by three to four Dog Units.