Commando Battalion for Resolute Action

Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA)[1]
Special Action Force
Common name CoBRA
Motto "यश या मृत्यु"
"Glory or Death"
Agency overview
Formed 12 September, 2008[1]
Annual budget Rs. 13 billion[2]
Legal personality Non government: Central Armed Police Forces
Jurisdictional structure
National agency
(Operations jurisdiction)		 India
Population 10,000 Active Personnel[2]
Legal jurisdiction India
Primary governing body Central Reserve Police Force
Secondary governing body Ministry of Home Affairs (India)
General nature
Specialist jurisdictions
  • Counter terrorism, special weapons and tactics, protection of VIPs.
  • Paramilitary law enforcement, counter insurgency, armed response to civil unrest, counter terrorism, special weapons operations.
Operational structure
Headquarters Old Sectretariate, Civil Lines, Delhi.
Agency executive Shri.Dilip Trivedi IPS, Director General
Parent agency Central Reserve Police Force
Website
http://crpf.gov.in

COBRA (backronym for COmmando Battalion for Resolute Action) is a specialised unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) of India proficient in guerrilla tactics and jungle warfare. Originally established to counter the Naxalite problem,[3][4] CoBRA is deployed address any insurgent group engaging in asymmetrical warfare.[5] Currently numbering ten battalions,[1] CoBRA is ranked among one of India's more experienced and successful law enforcement units.[1]

Background

COBRA commando

In 2009, the MHA has approved raising of 10 CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) to meet the challenges being posed by naxalites.[6] In view of naxal's violent and focused attacks on Security Forces; it was essential that appropriate counter strategy be evolved which strikes the naxals in their stronghold.[6] Accordingly, in phased manner the CoBRA battalions were raised – 02 Bn in 2008–09, 04 Bn in 2009–10, 04 Bn in 2010–11.[6]

CoBRA Battalions are well trained and adept in multi tasking skills operations in the most arduous terrain.[6] CoBRA personnel are trained in guerrilla warfare, field engineering, tracking of explosives, jungle survival techniques along with ops tactics to fight insurgents. Specialized training programme includes jungle warfare, Ops planning and execution, physical endurance, map reading and GPS, intelligence, heli-slithering.[6]

Special intelligence courses have been conducted under premier intelligence agencies to train troops in intelligence collection.[6] To maintain uniformity of standards and evolution of a unique CoBRA ethos as well as training of troops, a dedicated CoBRA school of jungle warfare & tactics is under active consideration.[6]

CoBRA Bn, true to its training and competence have killed 61 naxals and apprehended 866 suspects as well as recovered huge amount of arms, ammunition and explosives till 2011.[6] The CoBRA personnel's efforts have also been acknowledged with 200 plus DG commendation discs.[6] The valour and gallant actions of CoBRA have been recognised and the personnel have been decorated with 09 Gallantry medals including two Shaurya Chakra.[6] CoBRA Commando Ashish Kumar Tiwari was awarded Shaurya Chakra for single handedly pinning down a squad of Maoists which resulted in the killing of top naxal leader and Asst Commandant RV Mishra for taking down a group of 32 maoist in jharkhand in a clandestine operation with a team of only 8 and killing 5 maoist even after a mine shredded his leg while trying to save a fellow member.[6]

History

The Indian government established 10 units for CoBRA since 2008.[1]

Firearms & Equipment

Cobra is the best-equipped Central Armed Police unit in the country,[7] set up with a grant of ₹ 13 thousand million [ long scale ] (or 13 billion [ Short scale ]) from the Central government. They have been armed as a regular infantry platoon with:-
1.INSAS rifles
2.AK rifles
3.X-95
4.Browning Hi-Power
5.Glock pistols
6.Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine guns
7.Carl Gustav recoilless rifle.
Cobras also have hi-tech electronic surveillance equipment and well-trained sniper teams, armed with:-
8.Dragunov SVD
9. Mauser SP66
10.Heckler & Koch MSG-90 sniper rifles.[5]

All the equipment for the Cobra is manufactured indigenously by the Indian Ordnance Factories controlled by the Ordnance Factories Board, Ministry of Defence, Government of India.[8][9]

Training

Cobras are trained in the CRPF Elite jungle warfare institutions in Belgaum and Koraput. Their training regime(physical) and duration is similar to that of lines of Elite NSG Commandos. Main Tactics focus part is jungle warfare. They are adept in the art of camouflage and jungle warfare.Every personnel of CoBRA are trained for heli jump like the parachute regiment. Regular refreshing training is carried out of the commandos to check their physical and firing skills matching the standard.Their role is to carry out reconnaissance and long range patrols, gather intelligence on the whereabouts of the insurgents, and also carry out ambushes and precision strikes when required. Their sniper teams can also be used to headshot key targets.[5]

After 3 months of rigorous training(Same patters as that of NSG) in Belgaum or Koraput,CoBRA members are deployed to their respective units to counter-Naxal activities.[10]

Major Operations

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "CRPF - CENTRAL RESERVE POLICE FORCE, GOVT. OF INDIA". Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  2. 1 2 "The Telegraph - Calcutta (Kolkata) - Frontpage - COBRA on way to fight Naxalites in Jharkhand". Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  3. ↑ Dholabhai, Nishit (7 September 2008) "COBRA on way to fight Naxalites in Jharkhand" The Telegraph, retrieved 19 June 2009
  4. ↑ Indian COBRA Troops to Take on Maoist Insurgents Defence News
  5. 1 2 3 Mund, Prasenjit; Mandal Caesar (19 June 2009). "Shadow warriors:Guerrillas wary of Cobra strike". The Times of India. Kolkata: 2.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "CRPF Maintaining Peace in Nation". Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  7. ↑ Times of India (6 October 2012)"All-out war against PLFI before puja"
  8. ↑ "Indian Ordnance Factories: Weapons". Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  9. ↑ "Indian Ordnance Factories: OFB in Brief". Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  10. ↑ "Press Information Bureau English Releases". Retrieved 27 March 2015.
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