Indian Special Forces (archived)

[abingdonboy]

This can be progress we made after PM Modi's government created a Special Operations Division.

SOD? Now that is an interesting thought.

There was a report SOD teams were deploying to JK to build up tactical conditioning as one unit but I wonder if an op of this kind would see them deployed?


More questions than answers really.

 

[COLDHEARTED AVIATOR]

Okay, I am genuinely intrigued now.

My gut says PARA (SF) but these guys look so unlike any other PARA (SF) unit I've ever seen and whilst I am looking for more PARA identifiers I find more and more that points away from them.

+ unless I've missed something this is the very first time I've seen a PARA (SF) unit with an assault dog (Belgian Malonois), until now there has been only one specialist unit in India with them....

++ What is the pistol these guys are carrying, it's definitely not the PARA (SF)'s standard issue OFB hi-power or even the Glock-17. (@Gessler )


Whoever they are, they've definitely got the operator look down, It's like a foreign SOF has just been airdropped in JK.

(Those plate carriers are still atrocious and high cuts without integrated comns is amateur))

I was thinking the same too.

Another point is too many north east looking guys.

Now the thing is the nearest sf unit from there will be 9 para and 9 para doesn't have too many north east guys.. those are in north east theatre.

Obviously for under cover ops the looks have to match.

 

[COLDHEARTED AVIATOR]

Hmmm, an interesting point and another thing to add to my list of what's different/new to this pic- they also have chest-mounted sidearms which so far has been a very rare sight in Indian units.


These are an IA unit 100% though

NSG have too many giveaways (they definitely don't use M4 and those cr@ppy call-centre silver headsets)


+ we know what NSG unit deployed in JK looks like, they are just sat there idle (most they do is train CRPF/JKP) as no one in the state administration or IA wants to call them in.

What a waste of training and resources to not utilise them!

 

[ALBY]

Okay, I am genuinely intrigued now.

My gut says PARA (SF) but these guys look so unlike any other PARA (SF) unit I've ever seen and whilst I am looking for more PARA identifiers I find more and more that points away from them.

+ unless I've missed something this is the very first time I've seen a PARA (SF) unit with an assault dog (Belgian Malonois), until now there has been only one specialist unit in India with them....

++ What is the pistol these guys are carrying, it's definitely not the PARA (SF)'s standard issue OFB hi-power or even the Glock-17. (@Gessler )


Whoever they are, they've definitely got the operator look down, It's like a foreign SOF has just been airdropped in JK.

(Those plate carriers are still atrocious and high cuts without integrated comns is amateur))

The pistol seems to be Beretta 92. Though tge pic is not clear, the curve in pistol grip and other minor details says its a Beretta

 

[fire starter]

What a waste of training and resources to not utilise them!

I think their are special group's in para SF itself.
Just like the one's which we see today.

if it is true then the top rated group must be equipped with state of the art weapons that we usually cry of .

 

[abingdonboy]

The pistol seems to be Beretta 92. Though tge pic is not clear, the curve in pistol grip and other minor details says its a Beretta

No, definitely isn't the 92, that body looks polymer to me and the 92 isn't and it's grip is very distinctive and isn't what we see with these guys.

 

[Waanar]

SF from 3.00
First 3 Terrorists killed & 1 arrested by QAT of CRPF 137Bn & 187Bn along with JKP. SF was called later to hunt 1-2 terrorists who ran into nearby forests. Op still on.

This is FUCKING BEAUTIFUL!
THIS IS WHAT A SOF IS!
I mean, still uniformity is a far cry but I'll take this over Paras during the previous COIN ops any day!
YES YES YES YES YES!

 

[abingdonboy]

What a waste of training and resources to not utilise them!

That's the right word! A complete waste and combat experience is what NSG desperately needs, they can train and do mock drills as much as they like but there's no substitute for the real thing- Garuds learned this the hard way (although NSG's training and simulations are on another world as compared to any other unit in India except maybe SPG).

 

[abingdonboy]

What a waste of training and resources to not utilise them!

That's the right word! A complete waste and combat experience is what NSG desperately needs, they can train and do mock drills as much as they like but there's no substitute for the real thing- Garuds learned this the hard way (although NSG's training and simulations are on another world as compared to any other unit in India except maybe SPG).

 

[Gessler]

where are the fan boys who were crying due to the poor equipment. of course para forces never show their true capability.

Name one piece of equipment in this picture that Indian forces didn't already have?

Pics below are of Ghatak units from a Gorkha Rifles battalion near LoC from well over an year ago:

I suppose I should congratulate Paras for finally catching up with Ghataks with regard to modern helmets? Albeit the Gorkha ones were provided as a package from Tonbo along with Thermal imagers. Paras now seem to have purchased the EXFIL after inputs from other sections of Army...in other countries, the process is usually reverse (SFs are first to try out new equipment, which in turn is fed into regular Army).

Nevertheless, this is a step in the right direction. And exactly along the paths I said we would take - remember I've been saying since last 1+ year on this very thread that Indian SFs will eventually end up looking exactly the same as Western SOF? For which I was facing attack by idiots who were opposed to the idea of 'mimicking the West'.

Now whenever Indian SF are seen with equipment that is increasingly coming closer & closer to what Western SOF use, these same idiots jump out of the woods and yell "see? We are well equipped after all!"



What is this point of contention?

A) that Indian SF already have all the kit that I'm talking about which western SOF use, but not showing them?

B) or that Indian SF don't need any fancy kit at all?

When someone like me or abingdon or rkhanna raise a point about lack of equipment, they argue from Option B standpoint. But as soon as some units finally start adopting some good kit, they jump into Option A, a totally different and mutually exclusive argument.

++ What is the pistol these guys are carrying, it's definitely not the PARA (SF)'s standard issue OFB hi-power or even the Glock-17. (@Gessler )

That's a Beretta Px4 Storm. The 'Type C' variant to be exact - without the external decocker/hammer.

We did get reports earlier that SFs were looking to import Beretta handguns - I speculated here (and in other forum) that options would be Px4, M9A3 or APX. Looks like they went with Px4.

Surprising, I thought that deal (bundled together with SCARs, NVGs etc from US) didn't go through DAC.

 

[armyofhind]

No, definitely isn't the 92, that body looks polymer to me and the 92 isn't and it's grip is very distinctive and isn't what we see with these guys.

It's most probably the Jericho 941.

 

[Unknowncommando 2]

This is Team 2 after Team 1 with EXFILs went in. These have mixed headgear

Old Highcuts without rails or mounts and new Viper P2

Plus Tavor rifles and PKM, FAB AKMs

 

[MuzzleVelocity]

View attachment 42182
Para special forces during Nagrota Encounter

Exfil Ballistic Helmets finally

By God aankh mei aansu aa gaye

 

[abingdonboy]

We did get reports earlier that SFs were looking to import Beretta handguns - I speculated here (and in other forum) that options would be Px4, M9A3 or APX. Looks like they went with Px4.

Surprising, I thought that deal (bundled together with SCARs, NVGs etc from US) didn't go through DAC.

No there were reports the US package was signed last year and deliveries were imminent. Hmmm, so Berrettas were part of that deal?

Because if the answer is yes then that's even more curious as it was speculated that that US deal was for SOD.

 

[abingdonboy]

This is Team 2 after Team 1 with EXFILs went in. These have mixed headgear

Old Highcuts without rails or mounts and new Viper P2

Plus Tavor rifles and PKM, FAB AKMs

Question is who is Team 1 then, they can't be from the same unit as these guys.

 

[Waanar]

...................................................................................

 

[Bleh]

Lol. Other than the high-cut helmets & sidearm on chest, the SF are at same level as the regulars (not counting the dog).

 

[abingdonboy]

Lol. Other than the high-cut helmets & sidearm on chest, the SF are at same level as the regulars (not counting the dog).

Not counting the rifles, helmets and other equipment all SFs are equipped almost the same as the regulars!

I agree though that the gap between SFs and regulars in India is laughably small these days.

Speaks well of the overall improvement in kit for the regulars in a short span of time but very poorly for the SF upgrade pattern which has, as we have seen, been almost non-existent for a decade now

 

[Bleh]

Not counting the rifles, helmets and other equipment all SFs are equipped almost the same as the regulars!

I agree though that the gap between SFs and regulars in India is laughably small these days.

Speaks well of the overall improvement in kit for the regulars in a short span of time but very poorly for the SF upgrade pattern which has, as we have seen, been almost non-existent for a decade now

Sorry. I meant, of level the regulars will be after the new guns & vest & helmets start coming in numbers... Already the new armour can be seen often on RRs in Kashmir.

Although one thing must be said, I think they're first concentrating on lifting the army regular's gear from '80s level. At LOC there has been visible improvement.

 

[Gessler]

No there were reports the US package was signed last year and deliveries were imminent. Hmmm, so Berrettas were part of that deal?

Because if the answer is yes then that's even more curious as it was speculated that that US deal was for SOD.

Honestly I've no idea anymore about the status of that deal.

But yes, Beretta handguns were definitely part of planned upgrade program:

"This procurement is part of a larger upgrade which includes Finnish Sako sniper rifles, Carl Gustaf Mark-4 rocket launchers and Beretta pistols and LSVs."

https://www.dailyo.in/politics/para...try-of-defence-indian-army/story/1/30043.html