During operation Vijay, the Signallers despite heavy odds, lack of resources and highly inhospitable terrain, acquitted itself creditably and provided speedy operational and rearward welfare communication to fighting formations. The electronic warfare support fielded in the valley played a significant role in gaining information about the enemy's devious plans in Kargil sector.
The Corps earned several gallantry and distinguished service awards, including the first Yudh Seva Medal (Col Sudhir Bhatnagar, CO, 8 Mountain Division Signal Regiment), the fourth Shaurya Chakra (late L/Hav Birbal) and four Sena Medals (posthumous). Six Commanding Officers in the field were also awarded for excellence in command during operations.
During Malpa tragedy, as part of the Army's rescue operations, when the entire hill region near Dharchula was virtually cut off, the Signals quickly moved communication detachments to establish vital radio and satellite communications at Dharchula, Joshimath, Pithoragarh, Kausani and neighbouring areas to rescue the stranded civilians.
During operation Sahayata, eighteen high frequency radio and satellite detachments were quickly moved to Bhubaneshwar and neighbouring areas to restore the communications. The personnel of the Corps worked round the clock and rendered humanitarian help in distribution of food, medicine and water.
The Signals continue to send their personnel abroad to broaden their vision/experience in various fields of telecommunications, information technology and electronic warfare including exposure to International Telecommunication Union (ITU) conferences on latest technology. In addition, the Signals also fielded communication detachments for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon and the United Nations Peace Keeping Force, Sierra Leone. The Corps also sent personnel to the Indian Army's training teams at Botswana and Mauritius.
As part of the modernisation drive, some of the major achievements of the Corps in the fields of communication and networking include; commissioning of the Army internet, proliferation of information technology in the Army including taking on the role of 'facilitator' for implementing the Army IT plan, development of MCTE as a centre of excellence in the fields of information technology and information warfare, planning for introduction of internet and related ISDN services in the Army, computer telephony integration (CTI) for better service to subscribers, Establishment of an Information Technology Institute of Calcutta, full fieding of plan AREN and finalisation of Tactical Communication System - 2000, for tactical communication in the new millennium, expansion of the existing ASCON networks to include all commands and areas in the east and finalisation of plans for future expansion, introduction of new technologies such as Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) switching for exchanges, introduction of state-of-the-art satellite communication systems in the valley and the North-East, including GMPCS, VSAT and Mobile Satellite Systems, introduction of new communication projects such as the UHF project, MODCOM - 102 (for improvement of communications in Siachen), Integrated Communication Network (ICN), and replacement of existing microwave links of ASCON with optical fibre cable (OFC), effective and real time communication for the counter-insurgency grids in the Valley and the North-East, strategic alliance with the DoT for joint communication projects in remote areas in the Valley and engineering of fall back communication to face any unforeseen contingencies and to ensure that no system failure occured due to the Y2K problem.
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