Interview/Lt Gen (retd) Prakash Katoch, former special forces officer
Lt Gen (retd) Prakash Katoch was part of several special operations carried out by the Indian Army, including the one in Sri Lanka in the late 1980s. Katoch says we should “stop thumping our chest about surgical strikes”, and focus on real issues plaguing the special forces. Excerpts from an interview:
What is the primary task of the special forces? Are we using them optimally?
The primary task of the special forces is across the border, not within the country. Counterinsurgency tasks can be easily carried out by the Rashtriya Rifles, the infantry, and the Assam Rifles in the northeast, with SF used very selectively within our borders, if at all. Our special forces comprise the Army’s special forces battalions, MARCOS of the Navy, Garuds of the Air Force, Special Action Groups of the NSG (National Security Guard) under the ministry of home affairs, special groups of the Special Frontier Force, and the Aviation Research Centre under the cabinet secretariat. Given our peculiar environment and structures, what India needs is special forces optimisation in two tiers.
This story is from the February 04, 2018 edition of THE WEEK.
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This story is from the February 04, 2018 edition of THE WEEK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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