Troops of the Army’s Pine Division conducted intensive joint training exercises in counter-terror operations with commandos of the National Security Guard (NSG) to hone their skills in fighting in built-up areas.

Sniper action, cordon and search, urban assault, room intervention, staircase clearing, close quarter battle drills were among the activities undertaken during the exercise, along with battle inoculation, obstacle course and physical training.

Newly inducted technology like drones, robotic mules, night vision goggles and thermal imaging devices were also employed along with the use of traditional assault dogs for neutralising and restraining hostile elements.

“The joint training enhanced combat capability of the troops, interoperability and mission readiness for operating in built-up areas,” the Western Command said. It was held at the NSG Centre in Manesar near New Delhi.

Functioning under the Ministry of Home Affairs, NSG is India’s nodal national counter terror force, trained and equipped to deal with anti-terrorist activities in all its manifestation and thwart serious acts of terrorism.

About 9,000 strong, the NSG is entirely a deputationist force where volunteers from the Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) serve for a fixed tenure.

It has two major arms – the Special Action Group, which is the offensive strike wing composed entirely of personnel drawn from the Indian Army and the Special Ranger Group (SRG), a support and protection group comprising personnel deputed from the CAFPs and state police forces.

The NSG carries out regular training exercises with the Army as well as with other forces, besides conducting specialist training courses in special operations and bomb disposal for state police forces.

The Army also has its own Special Forces – primarily the Parachute Regiment that comprises 15 battalions training and equipped for strategic tasks like operations behind enemy lines and raids at high value enemy assets, as well as anti-terrorist operations. The Air Force and the Navy have their own Special Forces.