India's Special Forces will assume a larger role in future

By VIVEK RAGHUVANSHI

India's Special Forces will assume a larger role in future conflicts, although some officials say these units are not properly used or structured."Special Forces will play an increasingly dominant role at all levels of war, be it strategic, operational or tactical," said a senior Indian Army officer.The Special Forces needs a stronger profile in the defense hierarchy, added the Army officer. Its role came into focus when the military doctrine of 2004 emphasized that future wars would be swift, highlighting the need for Special Forces.The Special Forces has increased over the last five years from about 5,000 to more than 20,000 personnel across air, sea and land units, said Indian Defence Ministry sources. Some have been trained by Israelis at unknown locations. These units are equipped to fight behind enemy lines and carry advanced high-tech weaponry and equipment, said the Indian Army official.However, Rahul Bhonsle, retired Indian Army brigadier and defense analyst, said Special Forces has not been accorded a more prominent hierarchical placement."While Special Forces should be rising in the military hierarchy, Indian stress is on using normal infantry through conflict-oriented training rather than Special Forces," Bhonsle said.While India's Special Forces has grown in numbers and lethality, these elite troops have been used in an infantry role to fight terrorists in the northern Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Special units need to be selectively deployed for effective use, said S.V. Thapaliyal, a retired Indian Army major general.

SPEC OPS NOT INFANTRY

"Special forces must not be used where normal infantry can accomplish the mission, which they do in most cases. Employment of Special Forces does not depend on the size of conflict but on the mission for their optimum employment," Thapaliyal said.The Special Forces will be equipped not only with advanced weaponry but will be integrated in the military's command, control, communications, intelligence and surveillance system. It will be provided with intelligence, fire support by attack helicopters, naval gunfire, precision-guided munitions and rockets to conduct missions, said the Army official.For the last two years, defense planners have sought to put the Special Forces under a special command, but no decision has been reached. However, defense analysts do not unanimously support creating such a command.

SEPARATE LEADERSHIP

"To realize the potential of the Special Forces in India, they have to be brought under a separate command. However, given the approach to zealous ownership of assets among the services, this is not likely to happen in the near future. Sadly, this is depriving the country of much of the potential of the Special Forces and in turn there are no standards for assessment of their potential, so the situation seems to be pretty grim," Bhonsle said.Defense forces sources said that creation of a separate command has been resisted, especially by the Army."There is no requirement to have the Special Forces under a separate command. The existing command and control setup is adequate for their optimum employment," Thapaliyal said.

Posted in: India