IDN TAKE: A Brief Look at Indian Special Forces

We have all heard of the significant use of American Special Forces Seal Team 6 six in the killing of Osama Bin Laden, or the first ever use of the SAS (British Special Forces) in a hostage rescue mission during the Iranian Embassy siege. But not many have heard about Operation Cactus, which involved the Indian Para forces who helped the small island nation of Maldives sustain an attempted coup d’état or the continuing missions that the Indian Navy MARCOS undertake in safeguarding traffic in the Indian Ocean from pirates. These are just a couple of examples of the many Indian Special Forces which are among some of the best in the world.

Firstly, the special forces of any country is an elite force within the Army, Navy or Air-Force specializing in guerilla warfare and counterinsurgency using unconventional methods and resources. With regards to Indian Special Forces, each branch of the military has its own with other forces that are under the CRPF or the Home Ministry.

Created as an outcome of the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war, the Indian Army PARA special forces came into existence in 1966. Part of the highly trained Parachute Regiment of the Army and the largest of the Indian Special Forces it consists of 9 units (1-PARA, 2-PARA, 3-PARA, 4-PARA, 9-PARA, 10-PARA, 11-PARA, 12-PARA, and 21-PARA), which are among the oldest airborne units in the world. With the main objective of the force being quick deployment behind enemy lines for interception and destruction of the enemy's first lines of defense and other threats that the Indian Army might face with their Offensive operations, the Force proved to be more than useful during the operation during the battle of Tiger Hill. During this battle the PARA forces helped the Indian army claim the strategic peak from Pakistanis through surgical strikes.

The Ghatak Force is a special operations infantry platoon which has a platoon in every single infantry battalion of the Indian Army. Ghatak, meaning “killer” or “lethal” in Hindi is a perfect name for the Force as it lives up to it by acting as shock troops and spearheading attacks planned by their battalions. The Ghatak Force consists of the well-trained and superiorly equipped soldiers that can handle a variety of situations, from counterinsurgency and special reconnaissance to directing air strikes or targeted strikes behind enemy lines. This force was also a part of the infamous taking of Tiger Hill during the Indo-Pakistan war, in collaboration with the PARA forces.

Created in 1987, under the Indian Navy, the Marine Commandos of India were raised for direct action, special reconnaissance and amphibious warfare and counter-terrorism. With training for the forces known to be one of the toughest in the world, these Commandos can undertake operations in any terrain, but specialize in maritime warfare. The Indian Navy MARCOS have undertaken many exercises and training mission with other countries which has built up their reputation as one of the best special forces in the world. These elite commandos were also the unsung heroes of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, where they worked in the shadows of the NSG to conduct search and rescue operations, without which the death toll of the attacks would have been indefinitely higher.

The youngest of Indian Special Forces, the Garud Commando Force was created in 2004 as the Special Forces unit of the Indian Air-Force. Deriving its name from the divine bird-like creature, Garuda, of Hindu mythology, the main purpose of the force is divided into wartime and peacetime duties. During war time, the Garud Commandos work in clearing and preparing sites for air strikes, by undertaking missions involving the destruction of radar systems or missile defense systems. The commandos also undertake search and rescue missions to bring back any downed pilots from behind enemy lines. However, during peacetime these forces safeguard air-force installations on the ground and protect air-force assets from enemy threats. Being relatively new, the Garud commandos have limited operational exposure compared to the other special forces, but have worked with the army in Jammu and Kashmir in counterinsurgency operations and have also been deployed in the Congo under the UN flag. With the training to become a Garud Commando being the harshest, taking three years, this cool and lethal new force is definitely among the top special forces in the world.

The COBRA or Commando Battalion for Resolute Action is a specialized unit of the Central Reserve Police Force that is tasked with the sole purpose of countering Naxalites in India and safeguarding industrial and economic assets of the country. Exclusively trained in guerrilla warfare, the COBRA’s have proved to be just as lethal as the animal their acronym resembles, wiping out several Naxalite groups within the country. Since its inception in 2008, the force has had a massive budget of rupees 13 billion and is the one of the best equipped and funded forces of the country.

The National Security Guard is a special forces unit that is under the control of the Ministry of Home Affairs since its inception in 1984 following Operation “Blue Star” and the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Created with the purpose of combating activities that might cause internal disturbances, the NSG is India’s premier counter-terrorist force and acclaimed its fame after operation “Black Tornado” during the 2008 Mumbai attacks. With 7500 personnel amongst its ranks, the NSG also provides VIP protection and undertakes anti-sabotage checks and “neutralization of terrorist threats to vital installations.”

The Special Frontier Force is a paramilitary force created in 1962 with the main purpose of conducting covert operations behind Chinese lines in the event of another Indo-Sino war. Although never used in its intended role, it has transformed into an elite special operations and counter-insurgency force. This "extremely" special force even though a paramilitary force, works under the Indian Intelligence agency RAW and reports directly to the Prime Minister’s Office. The group enjoyed immense success during the liberation of Bangladesh, where elements of the force were sent to Mizoram to carry out pre-emptive strikes and support the Indian Military columns against the well defended Pakistani positions. The set-up of this force is so covert that not even the Indian army knows about the operations that it undertakes.