G20 Summit: NSG being brought in to deal with contingencies

Sources in the security establishment said NSG has also been asked to deploy its anti-drone teams as part of multi-agency employment of assets and will work closely with the Air Force.

An artificial waterfall installed in Aerocity as part of the upcoming G20 Summit in Delhi. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha)

“The entire spectrum of the expertise of NSG will be employed by the MHA [Ministry of Home Affairs] for security during the G20 Summit,” a senior security establishment officer said. “The NSG, in coordination with Delhi Police and other security forces, will be deployed for anti-terror, anti-sabotage and anti-drone tasks, as well as to meet any CBRN contingencies.”

In a first for it, the NSG had, in February this year, conducted a CBRN drill during a joint exercise with the US forces.

The exercise, incidentally, came months after Russia’s allegations in May 2022 that Ukraine had orchestrated a chemical attack in Kharikiv, in northwest Ukraine near the Russian border, to blame Moscow in order to get military aide from the West.

Sources said the NSG has been integrated into the security plans for the Summit by Delhi Police to provide anti-terror backup teams which will be fully equipped and stationed at strategic locations, as well as at venues where top Heads of States will stay. “The NSG House Intervention Teams (HITs) and sniper detachments will be ready for action to neutralise any terror contingency in such locations,” an MHA official said.

Near Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, venue of the G20 Summit next month, on Tuesday. (Express photo by Amit Mehra)

Sources said the NSG bomb squad will also be kept ready at key locations to quickly respond to any contingency. The NSG is equipped with Remotely Operated Vehicles and Total Containment Vehicles to safely negotiate potential bomb threats.

“Aerial insertion teams of NSG are also being stationed during the summit for all important events to swiftly deal with any contingency and help ‘top-down entry’ of NSG teams to highrise buildings in the event of a terror threat,” an MHA official said.

“These teams with dual capability in CBRNe intervention, in coordination with NDRF and DAE, have carried out extensive mock drills to validate various responses for contingencies.”