NSG trained 21 men protecting Sri Lankan PM; he wrote to PM Modi with praise

NSG was raised in 1984 for anti-terrorism, counter-hijack and hostage rescue operations.

India’s elite commando force National Security Guard (NSG) has trained a select group of personnel who protect the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, NSG chief S S Deswal said on Friday.

National Security Guard commandos display their skills at Manesar in Gurugram. (PTI)

Speaking at the 36th raising day function of the NSG, Deswal, who is currently holding additional charge of the force, also said that the elite force has most modern weapons and equipment to distinguish itself as a world class zero-error force.

“The NSG close protection force has trained 21 personnel of Sri Lanka’s PM security division in close protection skills. The honourable Prime Minister of Sri Lanka wrote to the honourable Indian PM and praised the training,” Deswal said.

Deswal, however, didn’t go into the specifics as to when these Sri Lankan personnel were trained by the NSG.

Popularly known as ‘black cat’ commandos, NSG was raised as a federal contingency force in 1984 to undertake specialist counter-terrorist, counter-hijack and hostage rescue operations.

It has a special component called the CPF (close protection force) that provides security to high-risk VIPs under the top category Z+ cover including defence minister Rajnath Singh, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah.

Deswal said the CPF, during the Covid-19 outbreak, provided security to its VIPs in about 4,000 events held in various states.

“The force has enhanced its mobility, training, weaponry and equipment by many times as terrorism is a complex and global problem in this century and the tactics of terrorists were changing and terror groups were possessing modern weapons. We are determined to adopt modern technology and specialisation,” Deswal said.

He added that NSG was training special combat units of state police forces so that they are better prepared to combat terrorist incidents.

“Post 26/11 Mumbai attacks (2008), we have corrected and upgraded in many areas...the force has remotely operated vehicles, satellite communications system, armoured robots, unmanned aerial vehicle detection radar system and anti-drone capabilities,” Deswal said.