Govt to set up NSG centre in Ayodhya

Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday announced that the Government would set up another hub of the anti-terror ‘Black Cat’ commando-led force National Security Guard (NSG) in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya.

Shah was addressing a gathering at the 41st Raising Day of the NSG in Haryana’s Manesar. The NSG hub in Ayodhya would be the seventh such centre in the country after Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and the Jammu task force, the he said.

"We are going to make big changes in the NSG's role. A new hub of the NSG is being set up in Ayodhya. With this, all six such hubs of NSG will help in mitigating any terror attack," Shah said.

The Union Home Minister also conducted the ground breaking ceremony for the Special Operations Training Centre (SOTC) at the NSG campus in Manesar. He said this centre, being built on 8 acres at a cost of Rs 141 crore, will provide state-of-the-art training to special commandos combating terrorism. At the SOTC, not only NSG personnel but also anti-terror units established within police forces across the country will be trained with cutting-edge technology to prepare them for the fight against terrorism.

He lauded the elite commando force for its unwavering contribution to India’s internal security over the past forty years, and described it as the country’s strongest shield against terrorism and organised crime.

Addressing the gathering, Shah commended the NSG’s dedication and professionalism, stating that its exemplary service had instilled confidence among citizens.

“With the principles of Sarvatra, Sarvottam, Suraksha and the spirit of Samarpan, Saahas, and Rashtrabhakti, the NSG has fought a formidable battle against organised crime and terrorism for four decades," he said.

The celebrations included a composite operational demonstration showcasing NSG’s counter-terror and intervention capabilities, including counter-terrorist and close protection force drills, combat free fall, helicopter slithering, bomb disposal and K9 demonstrations, and a mixed martial arts display.

The Home Minister added that the NSG’s performance demonstrated during the event assured that every citizen that India’s security was “in very safe hands. The NSG is a federal contingency force that works under the Union home ministry.  The idea to set up the NSG was announced in 1984. A Bill to form this organisation was presented in Parliament in August 1986, and it got the President’s approval on September 22, 1986. It officially came into existence from that day.

On the occasion, Shah also released NSG’s capacity building compendium “Duty to Share” which documents the force’s knowledge-sharing and capacity-building initiatives with state police forces, CAPFs and friendly foreign countries.  The publication underscores the doctrine of collective preparedness and

coordinated response against emerging security threats.