IAF to get its elite commando wing: Garuda

The government has cleared the Indian Air Force’s proposal to raise an elite commando force to protect its operational air bases and other strategic assets. Named after the mythological bird Garuda, the force will have nearly 4,800 men drawn from the IAF and trained in unarmed combat and use of close quarter battle weapons.

The proposal to raise the force — mooted by Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy — was reportedly approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security after clearing proposals to modernise the armed forces. The need for such a force had been underscored by the spate of attacks on air force stations such as Avantipore a few years ago. Terrorists had tried to storm into the air force station sending shock waves through the top echelons of the IAF. The proposed Garuda force will select men from its existing ranks based on their physical fitness and ability to meet the demands of its job. Presently the air force stations are guarded by the Defence Security Corps, a force comprising ex-servicemen and air force personnel.