Role of special forces debated

Clarity on the definition and role of special forces eluded participants on the first day of a two-day seminar, organised by the Centre for Land Warfare Studies, with Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee visualising a counter-proliferation role for them, while participants at the seminar asked how the special forces could be expected to carry out commando operations, sometimes on foreign territory when they were controlled by the Cabinet secretary rather than the Chiefs of Staff or the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

Among those who attended the seminar were former Vice-Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Chandrashekhar, former Army Commander Lt Gen R Nanavaty, Admiral (retired) Premvir Das and former Director-General of Military Intelligence Lt Gen RK Sawhney.

Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh; Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash and GOC-in-C Western Command and Army Chief Designate Lt Gen JJ Singh were also present.

The defence minister, who inaugurated the seminar, indicated that India had big plans for crack forces like the National Security Guard, which comprised a section of the 10,000 strong special force today.

Stressing that India proposed to have a "potent minimum nuclear deterrence to back its conventional deterrence," Mukherjee said special forces would be reoriented and given the task of dealing with counter-proliferation threats.

"Special forces are force multipliers," he said stating that they could enhance a nation's ability to fight a limited war.

"Special forces are ideal for combating terrorists and insurgents. The nation needs them not merely to make better infantry, naval or air units, but as a comprehensively structured unit for a full spectrum capability""a total force of quality officers and soldiers trained and ready for war," he said.

Mukherjee did outline the challenges before the special force""integration with conventional forces and international agencies, and at the same time having the autonomy to protect their unconventional approach.

However, the participants, mostly retired services officers, said special forces had not been defined - if Indian forces were not to intervene in third countries, what were special forces for? They said it was limited to intervening 20 km on either side of the Line of Control.

India had no trained forces, they said, that could intervene in a crisis in Nepal or Sri Lanka for instance, and if necessary, liberate the political leadership if it was under siege from terrorists.

The discussion was entirely in a non-nuclear context, suggesting that the minister had more radical views on special forces than those present.

Speakers also said that the special forces had no mandate from the government on what they were supposed to do. In the absence of a clearly spelt out nuclear doctrine, the increase in the number of special forces would only be cosmetic, they said.

The minister, however, said the "go ahead" had been given to increase the number of the special forces and plans entail totally reorganising them for mandate vis-à-vis unconventional warfare, counter-proliferation, special reconnaissance, psychological operations and other specialised tasks, he said.

Lauding the SF for an impressive record in the counter-insurgency operations, Mukherjee said the reorientation had to be undertaken as emerging international threats pointed towards possibilities of nuclear and biological weapons falling into terrorist hands.