Indian Security Forces in Bombay Terror Attack

Ravi Rikhye

December 1, 2008

As of March 2009, the National Security Guards deploys detachments of ~600-men in Bombay and Bangalore, with Calcutta and Madras (Chennai) to get similar detachments. A major equipment upgrade for metropolitan anti-terror police is underway.

State Police (only officers armed, O/R carry bamboo staves)

State Armed Police (riot control, usually .303s, sometimes FN SLR, firing training 1-2 rounds per year)

Anti-Terror Squad (35 officers with revolvers, mainly deal with gangsters; bullet vests failed pre-acceptance trials even against long-range shots, nonetheless issued.)

MARCOs (Indian Navy Marine Commandos, trained for naval operations; perhaps 25)

National Security Guards (Hostage Rescue, recruited from Army but under civilian control; about 300; not trained for mobile, multi-shooter scenarios. Each NSG member fires tens of thousands rounds a year. Money-is-no-object for equipment. No aircraft, must borrow from Air Force on a mission-by-mission basis.)

Railway Protection Force (protection of railway property, .303s)

Indian Army (trained for conventional warfare operations in mountains/plains. Some rifle companies and support troops in infantry role deployed)

Indian Army Commandos (possibly 30 or so; these are not SF but integral to infantry battalions)

Private security guards (usually ex-servicemen as ordinary citizens find it difficult to get arms licenses; usually only revolvers, usually 0.32 caliber - higher calibers cannot be owned by non-active duty forces; minimal or zero firing practice; very limited training.)

Police have a low-grade integrated communication network for themselves. None of the other forces' networks are integrated. No integrated command center. None of the forces works/trains with each other.