Armed Forces Special Operations Division

Last updated

Armed Forces Special Operations Division
Armed Forces.png
Active28 September 2018 (established)
November 2019 – present (operational) [1]
CountryFlag of India.svg  India
Allegiance India
Type Integrated tri-services division
Role Special Operations Forces
Size3,000 (estimate)
Part of Ids india.png Integrated Defence Staff [2]
Headquarters Bengaluru
Commanders
Current
commander		Flag of Major General.png Maj. Gen. M.S. BAINS

The Armed Forces Special Operations Division (AFSOD) is an integrated tri-services division of the Indian Armed Forces. The division is tasked to carry out special operations. The AFSOD draws personnel from all three special warfare branches of the Indian Armed Forces. [3]

Contents

Indian Army Major General A. K. Dhingra, who is a war veteran from the Para SF, was appointed in May 2019 as the first head of the AFSOD. [4] The division is expected to be converted into a full sized tri-service command in future.

History

Origins

The Naresh Chandra Task Force was set up in July 2011 by National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon to review the recommendations of the Kargil Review Committee, assess the implementation progress and further suggest new reforms related to national security. [5] [6] The task force was led by Naresh Chandra, retired Indian Administrative Service officer, and comprised 13 other members, including Gopalaswami Parthasarathy, Air Chief Marshal Srinivasapuram Krishnaswamy (Retd), Admiral Arun Prakash (Retd), Lieutenant General V. R. Raghavan (Retd), Anil Kakodkar, K. C. Verma and V. K. Duggal. The committee conducted the first holistic review of national security since the Kargil Review Committee and submitted its classified report to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 23 May 2012. [7] Among its recommendations, the Task Force recommended the creation of a cyber command, an aerospace command and a special operations command. All three units were proposed to be tri-service commands in order to bring the various special forces units of the military under a unified command and control structure. [8] [9] The AFSOD is a downsized implementation of this proposal. [1]

The creation of the AFSOD was approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Combined Commanders' Conference at Jodhpur Air Force Station on 28 September 2018. [10]

Initial exercises

Organisation

The AFSOD will function under the Integrated Defence Staff. [2] Units from all the three special forces of the Indian Armed Forces will be stationed in the division. [3] The division is expected to be fully operational by November 2019. [1]

Role

The AFSOD is expected to serve as the main organisation responsible for carrying out special operations within and outside India. [2] They are expected to carry out missions such as targeting high-value installations and degrading the war-fighting capabilities of hostile nations. [15] The rationale behind the creation of this division is to pool the special abilities of each of the special forces units of the Armed Forces and enable them to operate together. [16] [1] The division will also help in reducing operational costs, since it will enable each of the special warfare units to utilise common equipment. [11]

Components

The division is expected to have around 3,000 soldiers, though the exact number remains classified. [17] The main components of the AFSOD are: [3]

Deployments

Jammu and Kashmir

On 24 November 2019, the AFSOD was operationally deployed for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir to conduct counter-insurgency operations in the region. [22] [14]

See also

Integrated entities
Assets
Other nations
General concepts

Related Research Articles

India has several Special Forces (SF) units, with the various branches of the Indian Armed Forces having their own separate special forces units. The Para SF of the Indian Army, MARCOS of the Indian Navy and the Garud Commando Force of the Indian Air Force. There are other special forces which are not controlled by the military, but operate under civilian organisations, such as the National Security Guard under the Home Ministry and the Special Group under the Research and Analysis Wing, the external intelligence agency of India. Small groups from the military SF units are deputed in the Armed Forces Special Operations Division, a unified command and control structure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special operations</span> Specially designated military operations that are considered unconventional

Special operations or special ops are military activities conducted, according to NATO, by "specially designated, organized, selected, trained, and equipped forces using unconventional techniques and modes of employment." Special operations may include reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, and counterterrorism, and are typically conducted by small groups of highly trained personnel, emphasizing sufficiency, stealth, speed, and tactical coordination, commonly known as special forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strategic Forces Command</span> Military unit

The Strategic Forces Command (SFC), sometimes called Strategic Nuclear Command, forms part of India's Nuclear Command Authority (NCA). It is responsible for the management and administration of the country's tactical and strategic nuclear weapons stockpile. It was created on 4 January 2003 by the Vajpayee Government. Air Marshal Teja Mohan Asthana became its first commander-in-chief.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MARCOS</span> Indian Navy special operations force

The Marine Commando Force (MCF), abbreviated to MARCOS, are the special forces of the Indian Navy. The MARCOS were originally named Indian Marine Special Force, which was later changed to Marine Commando Force to impart "an element of individuality" to it, according to the Indian Navy. The abbreviation 'MARCOS' was coined afterwards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Para (Special Forces)</span> Military unit of the Indian Army

Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), informally referred to as Para-Commandos, is a group of special forces battalions of the Parachute Regiment in the Indian Army. These units specialise in various roles including counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism, direct action, hostage rescue, special reconnaissance and unconventional warfare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garud Commando Force</span> Indian Air Force unit

The Garud Commando Force is the special forces unit of the Indian Air Force. It was formed on 6 February 2004 and with a plan to have around 2,000-personnel strength. The unit derives its name from Garuda, a Hindu deity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian Armed Forces</span> Combined military forces of India

The Indian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of India. It consists of three professional uniformed services: the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force. Additionally, the Indian Armed Forces are supported by the Central Armed Police Forces, Indian Coast Guard and Special Frontier Force and various inter-service commands and institutions such as the Strategic Forces Command, the Andaman and Nicobar Command and the Integrated Defence Staff. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces but the executive authority and responsibility for national security is vested in the Prime Minister of India and their chosen Cabinet Ministers. The Indian Armed Forces are under the management of the Ministry of Defence of the Government of India. With strength of over 1.4 million active personnel, it is the world's second-largest military force and has the world's largest volunteer army. It also has the third-largest defence budget in the world. The Global Firepower Index report lists it as the fourth most-powerful military.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andaman and Nicobar Command</span> Tri-services command of the Indian Armed Forces

The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) is a integrated tri-services command of the Indian Armed Forces, based at Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a Union Territory of India. It was created in 2001 to safeguard India's strategic interests in Southeast Asia and the Strait of Malacca by increasing rapid deployment of military assets in the region. It provides logistical and administrative support to naval ships which are sent on deployment to East Asia and the Pacific Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special Service Group</span> Special operations force of the Pakistan Army

The Pakistan Army Special Service Group is the special operations forces of the Pakistan Army. They are also known by their nickname of "Maroon Berets" due to their headgear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women in the Indian Armed Forces</span>

In the Indian Armed Forces women are allowed to join mainly in combat service support branches and in non combatant roles. The Indian Air Force had 13.09% female officers in 2018 and 8.50% female officers in 2014; the Indian Navy had 6% female officers in 2018 and 3% female officers in 2014 and the Indian Army had 3.80% female officers in 2018 and 3% female officers in 2014. In 2020, three officers had the rank of lieutenant-general or equivalent, all in the Medical Services. In May 2021, 83 women were inducted as sepoys for the first time in the Indian Army's Corps of Military Police. On 30 March 2023, 273 women were inducted in the Indian Navy as sailos for the first time in the history of the Indian Navy, total 2,585 agniveers passed out after successful completion of training from INS Chilka. The Indian Air Force got airwomen for the first time in its history on 7 March 2024 as 153 female agniveers passed out from the Airmen Training School, Belagavi with 2,127 male agniveers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Integrated Defence Staff</span> Tri-service Defense organization of the Indian Armed Forces

The Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) is an organisation responsible for fostering coordination and enabling prioritisation across the different branches of the Indian Armed Forces. It is composed of representatives from the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, Ministry of External Affairs, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Finance. The IDS is headed by Chief of Integrated Defence Staff along with Deputy Chiefs of Integrated Defence Staff. On December 24, 2019, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) established the post of Chief of Defence Staff, a four-star general, a tri-service Chief, that shall lead the defence forces as well as play the role of head of the Department of Military Affairs. The body advises and assists the Chief of Defence Staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Defence Cyber Agency</span> Command of the Indian Armed Forces

The Defence Cyber Agency (DCyA) is an integrated tri-services agency of the Indian Armed Forces. Headquartered in New Delhi, the agency is tasked with handling cyber security threats. The DCyA draws personnel from all three branches of the Armed Forces. The head of the DCyA is an officer of two-star rank, and reports to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) through the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS).

Tiger Triumph is the bilateral tri-service amphibious military exercise involving the armed forces of India and the United States. It is the first tri-service military exercise between the two countries. India has previously only held tri-service exercises with Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Defence Space Agency</span> Indian Armed Forces Agency/Unit responsible for space warfare

The Defence Space Agency (DSA) is an integrated tri-services agency of the Indian Armed Forces headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. The agency is tasked with operating the space-warfare and Satellite Intelligence assets of India. The DSA draws personnel from all three branches of the Armed Forces.

Air Defence Command was a proposed unified tri-services command of the Indian Armed Forces. The command would be headed by a three-star Indian Air Force officer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian Armed Forces in Jammu and Kashmir</span> Overview of the Indian military presence in Jammu and Kashmir

Indian Armed Forces in Jammu and Kashmir encompass the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, tri-service units such as the Armed Forces Special Operations Division (AFSOD), and paramilitary organisations of the Central Armed Police Forces such as the Border Security Force, the Central Reserve Police Force, the Sashastra Seema Bal and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. Each three wings of India's military have their special forces deployed in the region including Indian Army's Para SF, the Indian Navy MARCOS and the Indian Air Force's Garud Commando Force. Apart from this, there is the elite police anti-insurgency force in the region, the Special Operations Group, of the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Integrated Theatre Command (India)</span> A service of the Indian Armed Forces

Integrated Theatre Commands of the Indian Armed Forces are varying degrees of synergy and cross-service cooperation between the military branches of the Armed Forces. Following Independence, in 1949 a joint educational framework was set up starting with the first tri-service academy in the world, the National Defence Academy, and over the years this joint educational framework has been expanded to bring officers from the different services together at different stages of their careers.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Pandit, Rajat (15 May 2019). "Agencies take shape for special operations, space, cyber war". The Times of India . Times News Network. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 "Major General A K Dhingra appointed as the first Special Operations Division Commander". Asian News International. 15 May 2019. Archived from the original on 20 August 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2019– via The Economic Times.
  3. 1 2 3 Peri, Dinakar (16 May 2019). "Centre names officers for tri-service divisions". The Hindu . Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  4. ↑ ANI (15 May 2019). "Maj Gen A K Dhingra appointed as the first Special Operations Division Commander". Business Standard India. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  5. ↑ Joshi, Manoj (22 November 2013). "Shutting his ears to change". India Today . Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  6. ↑ Joshi, Manoj (March 2014). "Policy Report: The Unending Quest to Reform India's National Security System" (PDF). S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies . Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  7. ↑ "All eyes on Naresh Chandra report on natl security today". Rediff.com . 23 May 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  8. ↑ Kanwal, Gurmeet; Kohli, Neha, eds. (2018). Defence Reforms: A National Imperative (PDF). Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. ISBN   978-93-86618-34-4 . Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  9. ↑ Singh, Mayank (16 May 2019). "Formation of Indian armed forces' special operations unit begins, to have 3000 commandos". The New Indian Express . Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  10. ↑ "PM Narendra Modi attends Combined Commanders' Conference in Jodhpur". The Economic Times. 28 September 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  11. 1 2 "Special Ops Division carries out wargames near Pakistan border". Asian News International. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  12. ↑ Negi, Manjeet Singh (29 September 2019). "Armed Forces Special Ops Division carry out war games near Pakistan border". India Today. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  13. ↑ Nayak Dutta, Amrita (28 September 2019). "New tri services special ops division, meant for surgical strikes, finishes 1st exercise today". ThePrint . Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  14. 1 2 "Army, Navy, Air Force Special Forces deployed jointly to hunt terrorists in Kashmir valley". Asian News International. 24 November 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2019– via The Times of India.
  15. ↑ "Armed Forces Special Operations Division formed: The best of the Armed Forces". The Financial Express . 15 May 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  16. ↑ Philip, Snehesh Alex (15 May 2019). "India gets new Special Ops Division that can cripple targets miles inside enemy territory". ThePrint. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  17. ↑ Roche, Elizabeth (15 May 2019). "Govt initiates steps to create special forces division". Mint . Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  18. 1 2 Datta, Rahul (18 January 2019). "India to raise its own SEALs". The Pioneer . Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  19. ↑ "INS Abhimanyu". indiannavy.nic.in. Indian Navy. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  20. ↑ "IAF to form commando force to protect airbases". The Times of India. Press Trust of India. 1 October 2002. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  21. ↑ "Brief: Garuds (IAF Special Forces)". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 15 January 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  22. ↑ Negi, Manjeet Singh (24 November 2019). "Army, Navy, IAF special forces deployed in Kashmir to hunt terrorists". India Today. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.