NSG- National 'Security' Guards

The National Security Guard (NSG) was set up in 1984 as a Federal Contingency Deployment Force to tackle all facets of terrorism in the country. Thus the primary role of this Force is to combat terrorism in whatever form it may assume in areas where activity of terrorists assumes serious proportions, and the State Police and other Central Police Forces cannot cope up with the situation. The NSG is a Force specially equipped and trained to deal with specific situations and is therefore, to be used only in exceptional situations. The Force is not designed to undertake the functions of the State Police Forces or other Para Military Forces of the Union of India.

The NSG was modelled on the pattern of the SAS of the UK and GSG-9 of Germany. It is a task-oriented Force and has two complementary elements in the form of the Special Action Group (SAG) comprising Army personnel and the Special Ranger Groups (SRG), comprising personnel drawn from the Central Para Military Forces / State Police Force. All the personnel are on deputation.

Role

The NSG is a Federal Contingency Deployment Force to handle anti-hijack operations, rescue operations and to provide tough support to the Central Para Military Forces in dealing with anti-terrorist activities in whatever shape they may take place in different parts of the country.

Tasks

Initially, only one Force was raised and was entrusted with:-

• Neutralising specific terrorist threat in any given area,
  building, vital installation etc.

• Engaging terrorists or suspected terrorists in a specific situations
  in order to neutralize them.

• Handling hijack situations involving piracy in the air and / or land.

• Rescue of hostages in kidnap situations.

Additional Tasks

The following were the additional tasks entrusted in 986-87:-

• Security of high risk VIPs.

• Anti sabotage checks of venues of visits / public meetings of VVIPs.

• Anti hijack duties in domestic and international flights.

• Immediate back up security operations.

• Data collection on bomb explosions.

• Training of State Police personnel in anti-terrorism, VIP security.

• PSO duties and Bomb Detection and Disposal.