SPECIAL PROTECTION  GROUP

 

 

The Special Protection Group (SPG) is an agency of the Government of India whose sole responsibility is protecting the Prime Minister of India.

  • It was formed in 1988 by an Act of the Parliament of India. The SPG protects the Prime Minister at all times both in India and abroad, as well as the Prime Minister's immediate family members residing with them at their official residence.Family members, however, may decline security.

 

  • Motto:-Bravery, Dedication, Security
  • Agency overview
  • Formed:-8 April 1985; 36 years ago

 

  • Employees:-3,000 active personnel
  • Governing body:-Ministry of Home Affairs

Constituting instrument:-Special Protection Group Act, 1988

Specialist jurisdiction:-Protection of international or domestic VIPs, protection of significant state assets.

Headquarters:-New Delhi

Agency executive:-Arun Kumar Sinha, IPS, Director, SPG

 

Previously, the SPG's mandate included protecting the Prime Minister's "parents, wife (sic) and children" resident anywhere in India during their term of office and for five years after leaving office. However, the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Act, 2019 reduced such a mandate. Currently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the only SPG protectee.

 

History

 

Before 1981, the security of the Prime Minister at their official residence was the responsibility of the Special Security District of the Delhi Police, overseen by an officer of the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP). This model was adopted from the United Kingdom, where the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is protected by London's Metropolitan Police Service. In October 1981, a Special Task Force (STF) was established by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) to provide transportation security and road escorts for the Prime Minister during travels in and out of New Delhi.

 

After the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by two of her Delhi Police security personnel in October 1984, a review was undertaken by a Committee of Secretaries of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Given the breach, it was decided to entrust security of the Prime Minister to an exclusive unit under direct control of the STF to provide the Prime Minister with proximate security at all times. These decisions were initially taken as short-term measures.

 

On 18 February 1985, the Ministry of Home Affairs set up the Birbal Nath Committee to examine the issue and submit recommendations to the government for prime ministerial security. In March 1985, the Committee submitted its recommendation for the raising of an independent agency for prime ministerial protection, known as the Special Protection Unit (SPU). On 30 March 1985, the President of India, by executive order, created 819 posts for the unit within the Cabinet Secretariat. The name of the unit was re-christened Special Protection Group, led by a Director who would be an Indian Police Service officer with the rank of Inspector General of Police.

S. Subramaniam, then the Joint Director (VIP Security) in the Intelligence Bureau, assumed office as the first Director of the SPG.

 

How to join SPG

First of all, the candidate must be an Indian citizen, after that he has to join the Central Armed Police Force, after that when the recruitment comes, he can apply for SPG.Senior and junior officers of IPS,BSF,CISF and CRPF are selected for the SPG.

 

Selection procedure

 

For the selection of SPG, like SSB, Personal Interview, Psychological Test, Physical Test is conducted.

Stage 1st:-personal interview conducted by IG rank IPS officer.

The candidate who clears the stage 1st will undergo physical examination, written test and psychological test

The candidate who clears this procedure is sent for a probation period of 3 months.

 

Training Process

During the probation period of 3 months, the candidate who fails once in the probation gets one more chance and if he fails for the second time also, he is given parental unity.

 

SPG Dress Code

Sunglasses, communication Earpieces and Safari suit

 bulletproof vest,kevlar gloves, elbow and knee pads.

 

Weapon

 

FN Herstal F2000- 5.56 × 45 mm Special Intervention Unit (SIU)

FN SCAR- Special Intervention Unit (SIU)

FN P90- Submachine Gun

FN Herstal Five-seveN,- Special Agents, SIU and Uniformed Officers

Glock 17 or Glock 19 - Uniformed Officers

FN Herstal P90 - Uniformed Officers only

IOF Modern Sub Machine Carbine - Selected to be used by the SPG after trials in 2019.