Taskforce pushes for special operations command
NEW DELHI: India urgently needs a Special Operations Command (SOC), which brings together disparate special forces of the Army, Navy, IAF and other agencies under a unified command and control structure in order to execute strategic or politico-military operations in tune with national security objectives.
Experts say the government must no longer dither in creating the SOC, one of the key recommendations of the 14-member Naresh Chandra taskforce report submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on May 23, since the country needs to strengthen its clandestine and "unconventional" warfare capabilities to effectively tackle the challenges ahead.
"The threat of full-blown conventional wars may be receding but the spectre of terrorism, irregular, asymmetrical or fourth-generation warfare is looming large. Inadequately equipped Indian special forces are wallowing in merely tactical roles, often pulling in different directions,'' said a senior officer.
"The SOC, which will be more relevant in peace than war, should be a critical element in India's preparedness to handle non-traditional threats and out-of-area contingencies. Our special forces need unity of command as well as proper structuring, modernization and tasking for effective covert operations and counter-terror,'' he added.
The idea for a SOC is of course not startlingly new, much like many other recommendations of the taskforce report that call for more effective integration of the three Service HQs with the defence ministry, revamp of the entire intelligence system and rapid infrastructure development to meet external and internal security challenges, as was earlier reported by TOI.
But the first anniversary this month of the flawless operation by the American Navy Seals (under the United States SOC that works closely with CIA) to take out Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad last year has only served to reinforce it.
The taskforce report, on its part, stresses the Indian special forces are not being utilized to their full potential. They need to be brought together under the SOC, which would report directly to the chiefs of staff committee (CoSC), it says.
Indian special forces like Para-SF (Army), Marine Commandos (Navy), Garuds (IAF), Special Frontier Force (cabinet secretariat) and National Security Guards (home ministry), among others, currently report to different masters and ministries.
Interestingly, the committee's report has also recommended the creation of a permanent post of CoSC chairman, without impacting the autonomy of the Army, Navy and IAF chiefs who constitute the panel as of now. At present, the seniormost of the three services also wear the CoSC chairman's hat.
This is not too different from the 2001 Group of Ministers' report on "reforming the national security system" after the Kargil conflict, which had also recommended a chief of defence staff (CDS) to provide single-point military advice to the government.
Taskforce pushes for special operations command - The Times of India
NEW DELHI: India urgently needs a Special Operations Command (SOC), which brings together disparate special forces of the Army, Navy, IAF and other agencies under a unified command and control structure in order to execute strategic or politico-military operations in tune with national security objectives.
Experts say the government must no longer dither in creating the SOC, one of the key recommendations of the 14-member Naresh Chandra taskforce report submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on May 23, since the country needs to strengthen its clandestine and "unconventional" warfare capabilities to effectively tackle the challenges ahead.
"The threat of full-blown conventional wars may be receding but the spectre of terrorism, irregular, asymmetrical or fourth-generation warfare is looming large. Inadequately equipped Indian special forces are wallowing in merely tactical roles, often pulling in different directions,'' said a senior officer.
"The SOC, which will be more relevant in peace than war, should be a critical element in India's preparedness to handle non-traditional threats and out-of-area contingencies. Our special forces need unity of command as well as proper structuring, modernization and tasking for effective covert operations and counter-terror,'' he added.
The idea for a SOC is of course not startlingly new, much like many other recommendations of the taskforce report that call for more effective integration of the three Service HQs with the defence ministry, revamp of the entire intelligence system and rapid infrastructure development to meet external and internal security challenges, as was earlier reported by TOI.
But the first anniversary this month of the flawless operation by the American Navy Seals (under the United States SOC that works closely with CIA) to take out Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad last year has only served to reinforce it.
The taskforce report, on its part, stresses the Indian special forces are not being utilized to their full potential. They need to be brought together under the SOC, which would report directly to the chiefs of staff committee (CoSC), it says.
Indian special forces like Para-SF (Army), Marine Commandos (Navy), Garuds (IAF), Special Frontier Force (cabinet secretariat) and National Security Guards (home ministry), among others, currently report to different masters and ministries.
Interestingly, the committee's report has also recommended the creation of a permanent post of CoSC chairman, without impacting the autonomy of the Army, Navy and IAF chiefs who constitute the panel as of now. At present, the seniormost of the three services also wear the CoSC chairman's hat.
This is not too different from the 2001 Group of Ministers' report on "reforming the national security system" after the Kargil conflict, which had also recommended a chief of defence staff (CDS) to provide single-point military advice to the government.
Taskforce pushes for special operations command - The Times of India
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