History, Functions, and Operations of National Security Guard

The National Security Guard (NSG) is the premier special-purpose force in the Indian armed forces and a major part of India’s state security apparatus. NSG has been given several responsibilities by India’s Parliament, including combating terrorist activities, protecting states against internal disturbances and attacks and assassination missions outside India. National Security Guard conducts its operations under orders of the President of India to deal with terrorist activities threatening the Nation’s security. The primary function of the National Security Guard is counterterrorism operations, which include various activities such as the protection of VIPs and their bodyguards.

National Security Guard

The NSG is a federal response unit that combats terrorist activities to protect states against internal disturbances, attacks, and important individuals’ assassinations. The NSG is under the direct command of the National Security Advisor. It operates under the supervision of the Cabinet Secretariat (Ministry of Home Affairs).

NSG was created by an Act of Parliament, defining its role, composition and operational procedures.

The NSG is composed of well-trained and selected officers trained in counter-terrorism, electronic surveillance, computer network operations, counterterrorism and counter-hijacking. They wear the same uniforms as Indian Army personnel. 

History

The Black Cats engaged in protecting VIPs in the 1970s were raised formally by the Indian Police Service (IPS) officer K. P. S. Gill on 6 June 1984 as a specialised anti-terrorist unit in Punjab under India’s Ministry of Home Affairs. They were initially drawn from various units of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF),

The Black Cats conducted various operations in India from 1986 to 1990. They carried out special operations, including anti-Maoist operations in the insurgency-hit areas of Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha, and special security arrangements for foreign dignitaries at Delhi’s international airport and other airports in India. In 1987, they carried out the operation in Punjab to prevent the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi during his visit to Chandigarh.

In 1990, under orders from then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao, Union Home Minister Buta Singh and National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra decided to convert these units into a specialised force officially named “National Security Guard.” It was decided that the force would consist of officers drawn from the Indian Police Service (IPS) and the paramilitary Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). However, a full-fledged unit was certified only in 1996 and formally raised on 1 April 1998.

Functions of National Security Guard

• Protection of VIPs. 

• Counter-terrorism operations. 

• Primarily an anti-terrorist force for combating terrorist activities and carries out other functions such as counter-hijacking, etc. 

• Elite force for shielding the President of India and other dignitaries from possible kidnappings or assassination attempts and other duties about “Operational Security.” 

• To protect the Prime Minister of India and other dignitaries when on foreign travel. 

• To provide security for Indian High Commission in other countries and protect their nationals in India who the Indian High Commission transfers to various offices abroad. 

• Provide close protection of visiting foreign dignitaries, including heads of state and government, business leaders, and diplomats, at the behest of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. 

• Provide strategic support to the armed forces in communications, locational, and logistics information. 

• Maritime security to guard India’s coastal areas, ports, offshore facilities, and merchant shipping lanes. 

• Provide security to Indian border posts at critical locations along the land borders with Bangladesh, Pakistan, and China.

• To provide security at state secretariats in some states of India as per norms and guidelines of the Government of India. 

Operations of National Security Guard

• The NSG has been involved in an armed intervention during various terror attacks and hostage crises. 

• The NSG was deployed during the New Delhi car bombing by Lashkar-e-Taiba in 2005, the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the Bangalore serial blasts of 25 July 2008, the 2010 Pune bombing, and various other terror attacks that took place around India. 

• The NSG provided security cover to many dignitaries, including the Prime Minister, Army Chief, Navy Chief, and even the President of India. 

• It has also provided security to the Indian embassy/consulates abroad and Indian citizens when they are transferred. 

• The NSG has also provided strategic support to the Armed Forces by operating intelligence-gathering and counter-terrorism apparatus. 

• The NSG has also provided strategic support to the Government of India in certain cases of national priority. 

• The NSG has also been involved in the investigation, development, and execution of the Home Ministry’s “Operation Green Hunt,” intended to take out terror camps in the North-East region.

• NSG has also been involved in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh, and other states.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, the National Security Guard is the elite unit of the Indian state police force, declared to combat terrorist activities and internal disturbances, including attacks and assassination. The National Security Guard was established in 1978 in the wake of China’s invasion of India. The main mission of NSG is to protect the country from terrorism, insurgency, drug trafficking and transnational crime. The National Security Guard has expertise in various fields of combat, including martial arts. The service also has a long training history in combat and surveillance techniques.