Drone warfare is a new challenge, we are capable to handle it: NSG DG

Manesar (Gurugram), Oct 16 (IANS) National Security Guard (NSG) DG M.A. Ganapathi on Saturday said that drone warfare is a new challenge and the NSG is fully capable to handle it.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the 37th foundation day event of the NSG, here on Saturday.

"Every security force needs to upgrade counter drone technology. Drones are an easy way to create mischief, to drop bombs and payload like weapons and ammunition," he said.

Earlier, speaking at the 37th foundation day of the NSG, the DG said that the NSG has been upgrading itself to the new security challenges and in the last few years, many initiatives have been taken to strengthen the counter terror measures.

"To effectively deal with drone attacks, the Force is now equipped with counter drone equipment, radar, jammers and drone killing guns", Ganapathi said.

Referring to the upgradation of the force in the last one year, he further said that in light of the drone attacks on Jammu airport recently, the Counter terrorism Commando forces of NSG, equipped with anti-drone technology, been deployed at the Jammu and Srinagar airports to provide anti-drone cover to these vital installations.

The force has also destroyed the IEDs and tiffin box bombs sent across the border through drones in Amritsar in Punjab, he added.

The NSG DG further said that the Force has been equipped with modern weapons and equipment and also strengthened the infrastructural setups across the country and indoor shooting ranges have been established in Manesar, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Kolkata.

With an aim to increase the efficiency of the bomb disposal squads, mini-remotely operated vehicles, total containment vehicles, and robots have been added to the force, he added.

He also said that to deal with multiple attacks at multiple locations at the same time, the Gandiv 3 mock exercise was conducted last month and in coordination with all agencies, and forces were dispatched to Bhopal, Ahmedabad from Delhi for this exercise.

Ganapathi also said that NSG's Close Protection Force has provided security to the VVIPs in over 4,600 events in the last one year despite Covid-19 restrictions and also provided security to the VVIPs in over 260 public gatherings and road shows during the last assembly elections.

He also said all NSG personnel have been fully vaccinated for Covid-19 and a 60 bedded hospital has been set up at NSG campus here with its own resources.