Para (Special Forces)

Para (Special Forces)

"Balidaan" Badge of the Para SF
Active 1966–present
Country India India
Branch  Indian Army
Type Special forces
Role

Primary tasks:

[1]

Other Roles:

Size 8 battalions
Part of Parachute Regiment
Garrison/HQ Bengaluru
Motto(s) "Men apart, every man an emperor"
Colours Maroon background, centaur holding a bow and arrow
Engagements Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Operation Blue Star
Operation Cactus
Operation Pawan
Kashmiri hostage taking 1995
Kargil War
Operation Rakshak
Operation Khukri
COIN Operation in Samba
Operation Summer Storm 2009
2015 Hot pursuit, Myanmar
2016 India–Pakistan military confrontation
Commanders
Colonel of
the Regiment		 Lt Gen P. C, Katoch, PVSM, AVSM, SC
Insignia
Identification
symbol		 Maroon Beret, shoulder titles , and the "Balidaan" badge(PARA SF).
Identification
symbol		 Sleeve Patch

Para (Special Forces) is a special forces unit of the Indian Army's Parachute Regiment and is tasked with missions such as special operations, direct action, hostage rescue, counter-terrorism, unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance, foreign internal defense, counter-proliferation, counter-insurgency, seek and destroy and personnel recovery. The unit's heritage stems from World War II, with the creation 50th Parachute Brigade in October 1941.

History[2]

An Indian Para (Special Forces) officer tries a U.S. Army weapon.

The parachute units of the Indian Army are among the oldest airborne units in the world. The 50th Indian Parachute Brigade was formed on 27 October 1941, comprising the British 151st Parachute Battalion, and the British Indian Army 152nd Indian Parachute Battalion and 153rd Gurkha Parachute Battalion.[3] The Parachute Regiment was formed from these and several other units in 1952.

Indian Army Para Commandos

In 1944 the 50th was allocated to the newly founded 44th Airborne Division. In the post-independence restructuring, India retained only one parachute brigade—the 50th. This brigade consisted of three distinguished battalions personally nominated by the then C-in-C, namely 1 PARA (Punjab), 2 PARA (Maratha) and 3 PARA (Kumaon). During J&K operations of 1947-48 these battalions had distinguished themselves with glory in the battles of Shelatang, Naushera, Jhangar and Poonch, wherein they were awarded the respective Battle Honours.

On 15 April 1952, the three battalions serving with the Parachute Brigade were taken away from their respective Infantry Regiments to form the Parachute Regiment. Since then the Parachute Regiment has grown to comprise ten battalions including Parachute (Special Forces) battalions. In that while, 2 PARA became a Mechanised Infantry Battalion, 21 PARA (Special Force) joined us from Maratha LI. During their short but eventful existence so far, battalions of the regiment have had extensive operational experience and singular achievements to speak of their level of professionalism.

During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, an ad hoc commando unit, named Meghdoot Force, consisting of volunteers from various infantry units was organized by then Major Megh Singh of the Brigade of the Guards. The unit performed well in combat and the Government authorized the formal raising of a commando unit. Lt Col Megh Singh was selected to raise the unit which was originally intended to be a part of the Brigade of the Guards. However, recognizing parachute qualification as an integral element of special operations, the unit was transferred to the Parachute Regiment and raised as its 9th Battalion (Commando) on 1 July 1966. The erstwhile members of the Meghdoot Force formed the nucleus and the new unit was based in Gwalior. In June 1967 the unit was split equally into two to form a second commando unit, designated as 10th Battalion, both with three Companies each. 10th Battalion was mandated to operate in the Western Desert and 9th Battalion in the northern mountains. In 1969, these battalions were redesignated as 9 and 10 Para (Commando) battalions.[3]

In 1978, the 1 Para, as an experiment, was converted to become the first special forces unit of the Indian army and was kept as the tactical reserve. Already a recipient of the Chief of Army Staff Unit Citation twice and GOC-in-C Eastern Command Unit Citation once, the unit was originally 1 Punjab which was later re designated as 1 PARA (PUNJAB) and in 1978 was converted to 1 PARA (SF). The unit is well over 200 years old.

On 15 January 1992, the Parachute Regiment Training Centre along with the Records and PAO(OR), the Para Regiment moved to Bangalore and occupied the erstwhile location of Pioneer Corps and Training Centre. Bangalore is the new Key Location Project of the Centre.[4]

1995 saw the formation of the fourth commando battalion when 21 Maratha Light Infantry was selected to convert to special forces and slated for the Eastern Command. After stringent selection and training process that spanned more than a year, on 1 February 1996, the unit under Col VB Shinde, was formally inducted as the 21st Battalion (Special Forces), The Parachute Regiment. The unit has done well in its short lifespan and is the proud recipient of the Chief of Army Staff Unit Citation twice (1992 and 2006) and GOC-in-C Eastern Command Unit Citation once (2008) among a host of individual gallantry awards. With the changing scenario in military operations and the need for more special forces units, 2 Para began the conversion process from parachute to special forces role, followed closely by the 3 Para and the 4 Para in the year 2004 and 2005 respectively. The attempt did see a little success the reason it failed to achieve its goal was due to the stringent selection process.

1971 Indo-Pakistan War

A six-man assault team conducted special operations 240 km deep into Indus and Charchao, where they killed 437 , wounded 114 and captured 18 members of the elite black storks of the Pakistan army without suffering any casualties . In Bangladesh 2 PARA (airborne), which was a part of 50 (Independent) Parachute Brigade carried out India's first airborne assault operation to capture Poongli Bridge in Mymensingh District near Dhaka. Subsequently they were the first unit to enter Dhaka. For this action 2 PARA were given the Battle Honour of Poongli Bridge and Theater Honour Dhaka.[5]

Operation Bluestar 1984

In 1984 the Para (SF) were involved in Operation Blue Star. They were charged to lead an attack on the Holy Site of Sikh religion the Golden Temple for eviction of Sikh militants in Punjab. 80 members of 1 Para (SF) were given the task of assaulting two areas of the temple, of which one area required divers. However, there were a number of setbacks as a result of inaccurate intelligence on the strength of the militants who were trained by Gen. Shabeg Singh (ex-para sf) himself, operating low light, the conventional manner of the raid and the lack of incentive; all of which resulted in a mission failure. The diver mission was aborted after the first team got bogged down. The commandos achieved their aims after a long gunfight with militants that lasted hours.

Sri Lanka 1987

The late 1980s saw the Para (SF) in action in Sri Lanka, as part of Operation Pawan. However, lack of proper planning by the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) and insufficient intelligence on the LTTE's whereabouts, led the initial heli-borne assault on Jaffna University on 11 October 1987 to be a tragic failure however it was later because of the efforts of the Para (SF) that led to the capture of the jaffna peninsula, forcing the LTTE militants to take refuge in the forests.

Six soldiers lost their lives in that ill-fated mission, but unlike the Sikh Light Infantry who lost their lives gallantly fighting to the last, the Para (SF) due to their superior training, took refuge under a house, after they got misguided by a youth who offered his service to help the commandos track Prabhakaran by taking them for a wild goose chase. They engaged the enemy for a full 24 hours and picked up all their dead with their weapons after reinforcements arrived next morning.

After the failed assault on Jaffna City, the 10 Para (SF) participated in November 1987 for a heli-borne assault in the town of Moolai, 14 miles to the north-west. More than 200 LTTE guerrillas were killed and an arms depot seized. In order to give the commandos battle experience, 1 Para (SF) was rotated home in early 1988 and replaced by 9 Para (SF).

This battalion was scheduled to return home in June 1988, but the tour of duty was extended due to a planned air assault into the coastal swamps around Mullaittivu. The mission was a great success, in that it located several arms caches. The 9 Para (SF) also provided 12 men for the security of the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka.

Operation Cactus 1988, Maldives

Main article: Operation Cactus

With the capture of Maldives, an island nation off the south western coast of India on 3 November 1988 by PLOTE mercenaries, the army turned to the 50 (Independent) Parachute Brigade to carry out an airborne/air transported operation to liberate the country and return power to the legal government. This operation had 6 PARA spearheading the mission. 6 Para flew in on 4 November 1988 in a fleet of IL-76, An-32 and An-12 transport aircraft. One team rescued the president, another took over the airfield and a third rescued Maldivian security personnel besieged in their NSS HQ. Later 7 Para & part of 17 Para Fd Regt were also deployed to the Maldives. When mercenaries tried to escape by sea along with hostages, they were intercepted by the Indian navy. Thus, 6 Para, 17 Para Fd Regt conducted the first ever international intervention by the Indian army without any loss of life.

Kashmiri hostage-taking, July 4, 1995

Para (SF) took part in hostage rescue mission in 1995. The 1995 Kidnapping of western tourists in Kashmir was an act of kidnapping of six foreign tourists by Al-Faran, an organisation of mainly Pakistani Terrorists, now known as Harkat-ul-Mujahideen from the Liddarwat area of Pahalgam in Anantnag district in south Jammu and Kashmir on July 4, 1995.One hostage was later found beheaded.Later Indian Security forces decided to storm the building to rescue hostages. It was a partially successful operation, since none of hostages were found, but resulted in the death of Abdul Hamid Turki, whom the army identified as the leader of Al-Faran, and four other Al-Faran members.

1999 Kargil War

Main article: Kargil War

In 1999 nine out of ten Parachute battalions were deployed for OP Vijay in Kargil, which bears testimony to the operational profile of the Regiment. While the Parachute Brigade cleared the Mushkoh Valley intrustions, 5 PARA was actively involved in the forgotten sector Batalik, where it exhibited great courage and tenacity, and was awarded the COAS Unit Citation.

Operation Khukri 2000, Sierra Leone

Operation Khukri was a rescue mission conducted by the 2 PARA (SF) in Sierra Leone, June 2000. About 90 operators commanded by Major (now Lt. Col.) Harinder Sood were airlifted from New Delhi to spearhead the mission to rescue 223 men of the 5/8 Gorkha Rifles who were surrounded and held captive by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels for over 75 days, just 90 Para (SF) forced 2000-5000 members of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) divided into 5 battalions to surrender that ultimately led to the liberation of Freetown

Operation Summer Storm 2009

On April 11, 2009, the 57 Mountain Division of the Indian Army based in Manipur,Para Commandoes along with the para-military Assam Rifles and State Police, launched a counter insurgency operation, codenamed ‘Operation Summer Storm’ in the Loktak Lake area and adjoining Keibul Lamjao National Park of Bishnupur District, located south of State capital Imphal. This first major mobilisation of troops this year ended on April 21. As the troops began pulling out, the Army spokesperson described the operation as a success, disclosing that 129 militants, all belonging to the People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) were killed. The Forces also claimed to have located and destroyed five militant camps during the Operation and seized 10 weapons, including sixty nine AK-series rifles, forty eight rocket launcher, and an unspecified quantity of explosives and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). No militant was arrested. No fatality among the Special Force (SF) personnel or civilians was reported.

Ongoing COIN Operations in J&K and Eastern States

Paratroopers and Para (SF) have conducted thousands of COIN operations in J&K, Assam and the eastern states in India. Sometime these units work with Rashtriya Rifles (COIN force) in complicated operations. Since the mid-1990s the role of Paratroopers and Para (SF) as a counter terrorism force has increased substantially. They are now actively involved in counter terrorist (CT) and counter insurgency (coin) operations in Kashmir as an essential part of the Home Ministry's decision to conduct pro-active raids against militants in the countryside and mountains. Personnel include Para (SF), Paratroopers (Airborne), NSG and special units of the Rashtriya Rifles - a paramilitary unit created for counter insurgency operations in Kashmir. They may also include MARCOS personnel, many of whom are seconded to the Army for CT operations.

Counter terrorist operation in Samba

On September 26, 2013 terrorists dressed in Army fatigues stormed a police station and then an Army camp in Jammu region killing 10 people, including an Army officer, in twin 'fidayeen' attacks after they sneaked in from across the border early on Thursday, barely three days ahead of a meeting between Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan. The attack was on a police station and the 16 Cavalry unit of the Army in Samba district falls under the jurisdiction of 9 corps, headquartered at Yol Cantonment in Himachal Pradesh. The three heavily armed terrorists, believed to be from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and who were holed up in the camp of the cavalry armoured unit at Samba for several hours after they barged into the Officers mess, have been killed during a fierce gunfight with 1 Para (SF) of army. The bodies of the three terrorists aged between 16 and 19 are in the custody of the Army[6]

Authorities moved commandos of 1 Para (SF) in helicopters to the shootout site. The Para (SF) commandos first carried out an aerial reconnaissance of the camp before landing there to neutralize the three terrorists. The 1 Para (SF) had identified the exact spot during the aerial recce from where the ffs were returning the army fire. After landing, the commandos started engaging the terrorists in a direct gunfight, but in order to give them an impression that their exact spot of hiding had still not been identified, an abandoned building inside the camp was blasted. This made the terrorists complacent that their hiding spot had not been yet been pin-pointed. They kept on intermittently returning the army fire till all three of them were eliminated. The entire operation from the moment the terrorists entered the camp and till they were gunned down took nearly nine hours to complete. The main worry of the soldiers tasked to eliminate the terrorists was the Army Public School situated some distance from the place where the terrorists had been engaged in a sustained firefight. Army men were worried about the possibility the terrorists moving into the school and taking children and staff as hostage. That is why the exercise to eliminate the terrorists was carried out with extreme caution and patience[7]

Counter insurgency operation in Myanmar 2015

Based on Precise intelligence inputs, the Indian Air Force and 21 para (SF) carried a cross-border operation along the Indo-Myanmar border and destroyed two Militant camps one each of NSCN (K) and KYKL, along the Indo-Myanmar border. The operations were carried out inside the Myanmar territory along the Nagaland and Manipur border at two locations. One of the locations is near Ukhrul in Manipur. The army attacked two transit camp of the Naga militants.

70 commandos were reportedly involved in the operation. The commandos, equipped with assault rifles, rocket launchers, grenades and night vision goggles, were divided into two groups after they fast roped from Dhruv helicopters just inside the Indian territory near the border with Myanmar. The teams trekked through the thick jungles for at least 15 kilometers before they reached the training camps. Each of the two teams were further divided into two sub-groups. While one was responsible for the direct assault, the second formed an outer ring to prevent any of insurgents from running and escaping. The actual operation (hitting the camp and destroying it) took about 40 minutes. Mi-17 helicopters of the IAF were put on standby, ready to be pressed into service to evacuate the commandos in case anything went wrong In its statement after the operation the Indian Army said it was in communication with Myanmar and that, "There is a history of close cooperation between our two militaries. We look forward to working with them to combat such terrorism.".[8]

Indian Army has claimed to have inflicted heavy casualties (158 reported[8]) on the attackers behind the ambush on Army on June 4, which claimed the lives of 18 Army jawans of 6 Dogra Regiment in Chandel district of Manipur.[9] This has been marked as the biggest attack on Indian Army after Kargil war of 1999.

Surgical Strikes against in Pakistani-administered Azad Kashmir

Main article : 2016 India–Pakistan military confrontation

Indian officials said the strike targeted areas close to the Line of Control, where it believes militants congregate for their final briefings before sneaking across the LoC. An Indian security source said the operation began with Indian forces firing artillery across the frontier to provide cover for three to four teams of 18 Para-commandos and number of ghatak platoons from the Dogra and Bihar regiment.from 4 and 9 Para to crossed the LoC over at several separate points shortly after midnight IST on 29 September (18:30 hours UTC, 28 Sep). Teams from 4 Para SF crossed the LoC in the Nowgam sector of Kupwara district, with teams from 9 Para SF simultaneously crossing the LoC in Poonch district.[2][16] By 2 a.m. IST, according to army sources, the special forces teams had travelled 3 km on foot, and had destroyed the terrorist bases with hand-held grenade and 84 mm rocket launchers. The teams then swiftly returned to the Indian side of the Line of Control[2]

Indian army said the strike was a pre-emptive attack on militants bases, claiming that it had received intelligence that the militants were planning "terrorist strikes" against India.[36][37] India said that, in destroying "terrorist infrastructure" it also attacked "those who are trying to support them", indicating it attacked Pakistani soldiers too.[48] India later briefed opposition parties and foreign envoys, but did not disclose operational details.[16]

Organization

Para Special Forces at Republic Day parade

The Parachute Regiment presently has seven Special Forces, six Airborne, two Territorial Army and one Counter-Insurgency (Rashtriya Rifles) battalions in its fold. The regiment has tried raising new battalions to augment the strength of the special forces however the task hasn't been completed due to the tough selection phase.

In the mid-1980s, there were plans of taking away the three para commando battalions from the Parachute Regiment and bringing them together under an individual specialized organisation, the Special Forces Regiment. However, after several logistic and administrative obstacles, these plans were abandoned and they continue to be trained and recruited by the Parachute Regiment.

Para (SF) operate in assault teams, which work individually behind enemy lines whereas the Paratroopers (Airborne) work in large teams and coordinate with other units as their role involves occupying large areas behind enemy lines. The total strength of the regiment stands about to 4500 with the majority being in the Paratroopers(Airborne), while the Para (SF) stands about 1200 operators. They have to hide their identity from general public.

Functions

Personnel

Selection

All Indian paratroopers are volunteers. Some enter the Para regiments fresh from recruitment, while others transfer in from regular army units.[10] They are put through a probationary period / selection process of three months for Paratroopers (Airborne) Battalions (5,6,7) and six months for Para (Special Forces) battalions (1,2,3,4,9,10,11,12,21 PARA), in order to be a Para (Special Forces) all personnel are first required to qualify as Paratroopers; once selected the candidates may choose to advance to the SF selection, which takes place twice a year in the spring and the autumn term. It is one of the longest and toughest phases in world where the applicant is exposed to sleep deprivation, humiliation, exhaustion, mental and physical torture. The selection has reported deaths in the process itself. The attrition rate is very high and selection rarely exceeds 10 percent. Even though a candidate may have cleared selection , he is not formally inducted , into the regiment until completion of the balidan padh in which a candidate after training is involved in active operations in a hostile zone for a year provided the candidate survives the balidan padh , he is given the balidan badge and formally inducted into the regiment.

Training

Initial training of newly accepted members is three and a half years, the longest regimen for any special forces program worldwide, and training continues indefinitely for active forces. Skills covered include specialised mode of infiltration and exfiltration by air and sea. Some trainees return to PTS to undergo the free-fall course, which requires at least 50 jumps from altitudes up to 33,500 feet to pass. Both HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) and HAHO (High Altitude High Opening) techniques are learned. The ability to use the HAHO method and specially designed maneuverable parachutes called HAPPS (High Altitude Parachute Penetration System)/AMX-310 to conduct stealth insertions over distances up to 50 km is also perfected.[10]

For combat diving training, the commandos are sent to the Naval Diving School, Kochi.Like other special forces, these para commandos are trained for land, air and water.

Daily routine begins with a 20 km morning run. Infiltration, exfiltration, assault, room and building intervention,intelligence gathering, patrolling, ambush tactics, counter-ambush tactis,counter insurgency, counter-terrorism, unconventional warfare, guerilla warfare, asymmetric warfare, raids & sabotage, martial arts training, tactical shooting, stress firing, reflex shooting, buddy system drills, close quarter battle, tactical driving, advance weapon courses & handling, sniping, demolition training, survival skills, linguistic training, logistic training, trade-craft training is imparted by the intelligence agencies. The training drills involve live ammunition at all times which has also become a reason for fatal accidents at times leading to death.

Night and weapons training and field craft involving 20 km treks with 60 kg (132 lb) loads and live ammunition are conducted. Weekly forced marches with 65 kg combat loads with distances over 50 to 80 miles and quarterly night drops with full combat loads are also conducted. In addition to this in-house training, the commandos also attend a number of schools run by the Army that specialize in terrain and environment warfare.[10]

These include the Junior Leaders' Commando Training Camp in Belgaum, Karnataka, the Parvat Ghatak School (for high altitude mountain warfare) in Tawang Arunachal Pradesh, Desert warfare school in Rajasthan, the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) in Sonamarg, Kashmir and the Counterinsurgency and Jungle Warfare School (CIJWS) in Vairengte, Mizoram, Indian special forces training school in Nahan, Himachal Pradesh. These schools are among the finest of their kind anywhere and routinely host students from other countries.[10]

Members of USSOCOM (United States Special Operations Command) and UKSF (United Kingdom Special Forces) have conducted joint training exercises with the Indian Paras, and SOF members from the three nations routinely train at each other's facilities to improve military cooperation and tactical skills . This allows the SOF operators from each nation to see tactics and perspectives offered by other top-notch organizations.

U.S. Army Special Forces have also conducted joint HAHO training with the Para (SF) in 1992, underwater training in 1995 and anti-terrorism training in 1997 . It is thought that the French Foreign Legion also has approached CIJWS regarding the courses taught by them. Para (SF) can also undergo a complete Combat Divers course, in which they earn a combat diver badge.

They are also experienced in conducting SHBO (special heli-borne operations) and typically employ Cheetahs, MI-8/MI-17 or HAL (Dhruv) helicopters for this purpose.

Joint exercises with other nations

The Para (SF) conduct a series of joint exercises, named VJRA PRAHAR, with the United States Army every year, in which about 100 personal from the US and Indian special forces participate.[11] INDRA series of joint exerise with Russian special forces,[12] operation sampriti with Bangladesh special forces.[13] Para (SF) also conducts exercises and training with Special forces of Israel,[14] Ajeya Warrior series of exercise with regular infantry units of UK(as UK's special forces are highly classified),[15] Indian special forces conduct exercises with forces of the following 16 friendly countries: the United States, France, the UK, Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Maldives, Seychelles, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand.[16]

International competitions

Personnel from the Para (SF) have participated in international competitions like Airborne africa , Cambrian Patrol. This exercise was designed to test the endurance, combat efficiency, and combat readiness of the special forces community. The regiment has a record of highest tally wins in both these exercises that is hosted annually ever since their participation was inducted in the early 2000's. In 2014 a team from the Indian army won the gold medal out of the 140 teams that participated[17]

Equipment

Para (SF) have access to various types of infantry weapons required for particular missions.

Small Arms

Transport

Insignia

Para (SF) personnel, like other parachute troops in the Indian military, wear a maroon beret. In addition, they wear a 'Special Forces' tab on each shoulder. Personnel who serve in the Para (SF) are allowed to wear the 'Balidaan' (Sacrifice) patch on their right pocket below the name plate, which is similar to the SAS beret insignia; only para commandos are allowed to wear the patch. Para (SF) personnel may grow beards, as this allows them to blend in with the civilian population, especially in Jammu and Kashmir.

See also

References

External links

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