Which fairytale says that SG started all this? Honestly if this was asked by some regular fanboi then I had just said him/her to fck off but since its you who have a good knowledge of SF I will explain and bust these myths!
First of all CT wasn't started by SG, PARA Cdo and even regular infantry units were doing it much before inception of Spl Grp.
Secondly it was 9CDO with laid the blueprint for SPG, when Mrs. Gandhi was KIA, SG sent a team/sqn for immediate security detail of PM and Family. Then whole Nine was called in to take the task of PM security, SG was under 'NINE' and CO9 was also made the Grp Cdr of SG.
Now talking about NSG, the original plan was to convert nine and make it the first battalion of NSG but then Army Chief denied and SG sent two sqns(51&52 Coys, SFF) or Alpha and Bravo sqn of SG. But it was CO9 who laid the blueprint of it and 51SAG's first CO was from 9 only(Lt Col AK Verma), 52SAG got its CO from 1.
SG had to send two Sqns as it was laying without any Ops and useless anyways, SG and one more SFF Cdo unit got bashed by militants during Op BlueStar, Gen Brar the overall cdr of the Op in many interviews stated that SG was no better than Ghataks of normal infantry.
Now coming onto why its an Spec Ops Capable Airborne Infantry and not an SF!
FYKI there are only three forces which can be termed as SFs which are PARA SF, MARCOs and GARUDs which are under the armed forces. If a deputation unit like SG(SFF in general) is an SF then NSG is Super SF according to this logic as NSG is much better than SG in its mandates. Secondly when a deputation based unit(SG) is 70-80% made up of infantry and other arms then how can it be equal to SF? The only Spec Ops capability SG have is due to SF personal on deputation to it. If SG was so elite in its own then why it mandates that the Grp Crd(CO), Dpt. Grp Cdr(2IC), and all the Sqn Ldrs(Coy Cdrs) be from SF only?
Now as an bonus, I will bust another myth of yours that SG is some very secret covert unit of RAW, first of all SG is under SFF like any other V/A battalion, less Ops all other things are through SFF only. SFF as a whole is under DGS and not 'RAW'. Army HQ probably has more control on SG than so called RAW...
Warm Regards!
I'm not sure someone whose assasinated is referred to as KIA but leaving that behind Lt Gen PC Katoch in his book stated the idea was to convert 1 Para into a CT unit...Col AK Anand also stated NSG & MARCOS when were established it was 1 Para who trained them in 1...
However...Lt Gen PC Katoch also states that parallelly as 1 was doing it's comvertion to a counter terrorism unit, the SG was also created for the same thing. Infact, Let Gen PC Katoch stated that
"In the Brig Bahri Committee.......it was decided that a Special Group be created for the conduct of a national level and Army Headquarters related strategic military special operations."
What part of a 'special operations capable' or 'super infantry' does strategic military special operations ?
Also if 9 Para cdo laid the blueprints for SPG, then please tell me the story and sources...I'd love to know them.
As far as "who has control over SG" RAW or Army HQ, Here's Lt Gen PC Katoch's word on it
So is SG the best unit of India ?
- No...the way we see them equipped in Kashmir and the limited amount of operations tells it all, see even their mandate is not defined
Was it mandated as a Special Infantry or Special Operations Capable unit and not a Special Force?
- Clearly no! It says it all....it was mandated as a Special Forces unit which would take guys from Army SF, as the Brig Bahri Committee stated that "there was to be a proper interface between the Para SF and the Special Group. The Para SF would also ensure a regular feed to the Special Group." The Army struggled with unconventional operations due to rigid traditions, so SG was created to handle special operations.
What's lacking in SG ?
- The fact that their leadership suffers from the same thing every government organization in India suffers from...including the Army. Yes their leadership is as incompetent
Is it right to call SG as a Special Operations Capable Unit ?
- No! Firstly it was mandated to be something else, secondly, it was under Cabinet Sec not Army HQ as you say, R&AW itself is under Cabinet Sec.
- Now, try selling me the idea that a "Special Operations Capable Unit" "As Good as Ghataks" was tasked to rescue political prisoners from Bangladesh.
