The XIV Corps or The Fire and Fury Corps is a corps of the Indian Army in the disputed Kashmir region. It is the Army's Udhampur-based part of the Northern Command. The 14th Corps forms a military deployment in the Kargil-Leh area guarding the frontiers with China and Pakistan. It also guards the Siachen Glacier.

History The 3rd Division was established in 1962 during the Sino-Indian War, from elements of HQ Nagaland and remained as an Eastern Command reserve, even though it almost always remained on CI duty.Ravi Rikhye and Mandeep Bajwa, www.orbat.com mainpage, 4 August 2010 After nearly 30 years existence in the East, the division left the area about two decades ago for Ladakh and never returned. While on CI duty, the division was pulled out and sent to fight suspected Pakistani infiltrators in the Matayan-Dras sectors. Afterwards, when HQ XIV Corps was raised, it took over the 3rd and 8th Division.

During the Kargil War it consisted of 56th Mountain Brigade, usually stationed at Matayan, 79th Mountain Brigade, usually stationed at Dras, and 192nd Mountain Brigade.

The Changthang Prahar Exercise, an Integrated Exercise of all Arms in Super High Altitude Area, was conducted in September 2019.

During the Sino-Indian Border Dispute, the XIV Corps engaged in discussions with Chinese division commanders regarding the Depsang bulge standoff in eastern Ladakh. Despite multiple diplomatic talks and Corps Commander-level negotiations, Chinese troops obstructed access to critical patrolling points, prompting the Indian Army to prepare for a prolonged presence, including winter stocking of troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Order of battle

The 3rd Infantry Division (Trishul Division) - It is also currently responsible for security of the entire eastern Ladakh LAC border with China. The division has three infantry brigades stationed at Tangste, Kairi and Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO); under it, along with an artillery brigade. The division was created in October 1962 in Ladakh. It fought in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.Conboy et al, Elite Forces of India and Pakistan, p.8 In 1991, it was part of the XV Corps. Its headquarters was at Karu, 40 km from Leh. During the Kargil War, the division consisted of the 3rd Artillery Brigade (the special division for artillery missions), 70th Infantry Brigade (reassigned from Demchok, Ladakh) on the Chinese border, and the 102nd Infantry Brigade. Both were normally assigned to the division.Mandeep S. Bajwa with assistance from Ravi Rikhye, Indian Army – Kargil War 1999, V2.0, 8 March 2006 , accessed July 2010 The 8th Mountain Division - (Forever in Operations Division) - It is presently tasked to look after the LoC. It also includes a Division Artillery Brigade. Headquartered at Khumbathang, Ladakh. It was established in 1963 to carry out counter insurgency operations in Nagaland. Until 1990, it was headquartered at Kohima under III Corps. As trouble erupted in Kashmir in the late 1980s, the division was moved to the Kashmir Valley, making it the spearhead of the counter-insurgency operations. During the Kargil War, it was rushed into the Kargil-Drass and Batalik sectors from Kashmir Valley, where it proved its mettle. The 72nd Infantry Division - Being raised and includes HQ supported by a Brigade as of March 2025. To support the 3rd Division and replace Uniform Force of Rashtriya Rifles in Ladakh. The Division will have a total of 10,000-15,000 combat troops with additional 8,000 support personnel. The Division HQ includes 25 officers, 30 JCOs and 112 soldiers. The formation was cleared to be raised under XVII Corps with its base in Pathankot in 2017 but the raising was halted midway in 2017-18 due to "paucity of funds". As of May 2025, the Division is being re-raised under XIV Corps with its warfighting elements finalised though it will not include any additional manpower but only restructuring of previously moved elements during 2020–2021 China–India skirmishes. 102 (Independent) Infantry Brigade (Siachen Brigade) 118 (Independent) Infantry Brigade (Parashu Brigade) 254 (Independent) Armoured Brigade (Snow Leopard Brigade) One Bhairav Battalion The High Altitude Medical Research Centre (HAMRC), 153 General Hospital of the 14 Corps, is the highest multi-specialty hospital in the world along with 14 Corps Dental Unit being the highest multi-speciality dental unit in the world providing treatment in extreme climatic conditions. Uniform Force of Rashtriya Rifles from Poonch district in Jammu & Kashmir was moved to Ladakh sector on permanent basis in 2020 as part of the ORBAT reorganization.

List of commanders

RankNameAssumed OfficeLeft officeUnit of Commission ReferencesLieutenant GeneralA B MasihSeptember 1999May 2000Kumaon RegimentArjun RayJune 2000March 2002Kumaon RegimentRB SinghApril 2002December 2003Brigade of the GuardsSudhir KumarDecember 200320044th Gorkha RiflesMilan Lalitkumar Naidu2004October 2005Rajput RegimentJK MohantyOctober 2005January 2007Dogra RegimentPrabodh Chandra BhardwajJanuary 200728 February 2008Parachute RegimentVijay Kumar Ahluwalia1 March 20081 March 2009Regiment of ArtilleryShri Krishna Singh200930 November 20108th Gorkha RiflesRavi Dastane20112012Regiment of ArtilleryRajan Bakshi2012May 201317th Horse (Poona Horse)Rakesh SharmaJune 2013201411th Gorkha RiflesBalwant Singh Negi20142 July 2015Assam RegimentShravan Kumar Patyal2 July 201524 August 20164th Gorkha RiflesParminder Jit Singh Pannu25 August 20162017Maratha Light InfantrySantosh Kumar Upadhya201730 August 2018Garhwal RiflesYogesh Kumar Joshi31 August 20189 October 2019Jammu and Kashmir RiflesHarinder Singh10 October 201913 October 2020Maratha Light InfantryPGK Menon13 October 20204 January 2022Sikh RegimentAnindya Sengupta5 January 202212 March 2023 Punjab RegimentRashim Bali13 March 202330 June 2024Sikh Light InfantryHitesh Bhalla 1 July 202429 June 2026Maratha Light InfantryMadanraj Pande30 June 2026IncumbentMahar Regiment

References