Security Arrangements of The Prime Minister of India

The security arrangements of the Prime Minister of India include the Special Protection Group (SPG) being responsible for providing security to the Prime Minister, protecting his residence and travelling with him. They are also responsible for providing security to any staff who need it. Apart from providing personal bodyguards and tactical outer perimeter defences, they also have a role in detecting threats such as bombs or explosives and evacuating people from buildings. SPG is headed by an officer designated ‘SPG Chief’, who is also Officer-in-Charge of the security arrangements of Rashtrapati Bhavan and oversees the SPG guarding the Prime Minister.

Special protection group

The Special Protection Group is headed by an Indian Police Service officer of Director General (IGP) with a Deputy IG(DGP) as his deputy, who usually has the rank of Joint Director and Additional SPG Commandants.

The SPG is armed with a wide range of weapons and technology.

Apart from armed units, they also operate in plainclothes to perform intelligence gathering and, if necessary, to assist the police in anti-riot operations.

The main surveillance system used by the SPG and Delhi Police to monitor the movements of the Prime Minister is the “Video Tracking System”. It is installed in all vehicles used by the Prime Minister to travel. These vehicles are closely monitored and recorded throughout their journey, and whenever necessary, travels are marked with a beacon. When a vehicle is stopped for a traffic offence, all the movement records over a particular period, such as distance covered, time spent, and traffic violations, are analysed for later investigations. It is also used to monitor people’s movements in the vicinity of a Prime Ministerial aircraft. The Security Bureau of the SPG contains specialised units such as the Anti-Terrorist Squad, Investigation Wing and Vehicle Research and Development Wing, which are tasked with handling VIPs’ travel needs, such as providing arrangements for airport security.

Threats To Prime Minister’s Security

•Threats to the Prime Minister’s security arrangements may relate to terrorist groups or foreign agencies possibly targeting them in an assassination attempt or through a terrorist incident.

•If foreign agencies are involved, this may be due to the Prime Minister’s political stance, e.g. India has been a vocal opponent of Pakistan in the wake of its continued terrorism against India. Any terrorist attack on Indian soil could strain international relations, which is why the security of the Prime Minister is a national security priority for India.

•The threat of foreign agencies may exist as India is a regional power in South Asia, with close cultural and historical ties to other nations like Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan etc. An attack on India will seriously impact its relationships with these countries.

•Terrorists may target the Prime Minister or their family members directly in an attempt to assassinate them. They may also target the Prime Minister during an attack against the nation’s key institutions such as Parliament House, Golden Temple (Sikh holy site), etc. This is because the public nature of the Prime Minister’s activities makes it difficult to guard against every possible course of action.

Physical security arrangements for the Prime Minister of India 

•A special security cell monitors all physical security arrangements for the Prime Minister and their family members. The cell reports directly to the Home Ministry and is headed by an IPS officer posted at the rank of Additional Director General.

•The central PSG (and therefore the SPG) was established in 1985, headed by an IPS officer of the rank of DGP.

•The SPG HQ is based at South Block, New Delhi and has a strength of about 500 personnel drawn from central police forces. This includes officers from the Indian Police Service, Deputy Superintendents of Police and Inspectors from all Indian Police Services. The SPG is divided into several branches, including Operations, Establishment and Technical.

•SPG Inspectors are dressed in civilian clothes and carry pistols, usually the Glock 17. The Deputy SPG Commandants are assigned the task of bodyguards for the Prime Minister and are provided with a 9mm Parabellum pistol and a Browning Hi-Power pistol. The commandants of various sectors protecting the Prime Minister (New Delhi, Lucknow, Rae-Bareli and Chandigarh) are assigned four Inspectors or Deputy Commandants to assist them.

•A Special Protection Group (SPG) officer is assigned to accompany the Prime Minister to all important engagements inside and outside India.

•The SPG is standard-equipped with Mitsubishi Outlander and Nissan Patrol vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with high definition cameras, GPS systems and advanced communication equipment. The SPG vehicles are also fitted with obstacle-sensing software, which recognises when they are blocked by trees or other objects on the road.

•The SPG also maintains a fleet of helicopters for transportation purposes. The larger MI-17 usually carries two SPG personnel, whereas the smaller Bell 412 does not carry anyone during transportation.

Conclusion

The special security to the Prime Minister, viz. The Special Protection Group (SPG) of India’s Government was created on July 29, 1972. SPG provides personal security to the prime minister when in India and elsewhere. The SPG, which is headed by a Special Director-rank officer of the Indian Police Service, has drawn its various commando units and officers with the approval and supervision of the Union Home Ministry. SPG is authorised to take immediate action in any situation which poses a threat to the safety or security of the Prime Minister and his family members.