New Delhi: Strengthening its capabilities
to carry out special operations, the Indian Army is raising a
new special forces battalion which will be deployed in the
north-eastern sector.
A new battalion of the Parachute Regiment -- 11 Para
(SF) -- is being raised and will be first deployed in the north-eastern sector, Army sources said here.
This will be eighth special forces battalion of the
Parachute Regiment and will be deployed in counter-insurgency
and counter-terrorism operations in that region, they said.
The Parachute Regiment has 10 battalions under it
and seven of them have been trained as special forces, which
are supposed to carry out counter-terrorist operations during
peacetime and sabotage enemy installations beyond enemy lines
during wars.
The special forces battalions include the 1, 2, 3, 4,
9, 10 and 21 para units, which are deployed in different
sectors of the country and have also been given responsibility
to handle any 26/11 type attacks if that occurs near their
area of deployment.
The Army wants to increase the number of special
forces troops to more than 10 battalions with around 700 men
in each.
These battalions have been provided with modern
equipment such as Tavor 21 assault rifles.
PTI
