India needs national level crisis management response system: NSG DG

Being aware of the deadly terrorist attack by Hamas against Israel, MA Ganapathy, Director General of the National Security Guard (NSG) on Thursday emphasised the need for a crisis management response system at the national level to avert and counter any such threat on India, writes ETV Bharat’s Gautam Debroy.

New Delhi: “The way terrorists attacked Israel and the level of attacks were never imagined...we need to learn from such an incident, which highlighted the demand for a national-level crisis management response system,” said Ganapathy while addressing the NSG Raising Day counter-terrorism seminar with State police forces. The theme of the seminar was sub-conventional threats, challenges and prospects for definite and enduring solutions.

Referring to the surprise attack by Hamas terrorists, Ganapathy said that despite having modern surveillance systems and technology, the terrorists were able to carry out their attacks. Multiple rockets were fired towards Ben Gurion Airport, the biggest airport in Israel. It was attacked by rockets launched by Hamas militants.

The NSG seminar that was held at the DRDO Bhawan aims to help in developing strategies and building synergies amongst special forces of the country. It is worth mentioning that NSG Task Forces (TFs) and Quick Reaction Teams (QRT) are kept on alert (24X7) at Delhi and at all five regional hubs to move at short notice to respond to any contingency situation. NSG Task Forces (TFs) are brought into action after approval from the MHA during the national crisis.

The NSG Task Forces are deployed for Immediate Backup Security Operations (IBUS) as part of security arrangements during events of national and international importance, including Republic Day and Independence Day celebrations. In all, 151 such events, including visits of VVIP across the country, were covered by the NSG from April to December last year.

The NSG was raised in 1984 to combat terrorism in all its manifestations. This strike force is a unique amalgam of selected personnel from the Army, the Central Armed Police Forces and the State Police Forces. After the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai, four regional Hubs (Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata) were established to reduce the response time and to ensure a pan-India footprint.

In 2016, the Fifth Hub came into existence at Gandhinagar in Gujarat. Significantly, to enhance the quality of NSG commandos, the intake standards have been made more stringent. DGs of all CAPFs have also been asked to screen volunteers for NSG and ensure minimum physical and firing standards. As many as 676 personnel from CAPFs and 1,603 personnel from the Army were inducted into NSG from April to December last year.