It is important to note that the SFF is not part of the Indian Army, but is under the General Directorate of Security (DGS), a covert organization operating under the Cabinet Secretariat.
As India and China vie for a position in eastern Ladakh, reports emerge of the possible role played by the mysterious ‘Special Border Force’ (SFF) in occupying strategic heights on the Royal Line of Control in Ladakh and on the night in between. August 29-30 to thwart an attempt by Beijing to “unilaterally” change the status quo on the southern shore of Pangong Tso Lake.
But what do we know about this group, its history and its objectives?
According The Times of India, The team is based in Chakrata (Uttarakhand) and consists of at least five battalions or 5,000 elite paratroopers trained in mountain warfare. He was initially trained by the Intelligence Office, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the Research and Analysis Wing.
It is important to note that the SFF is not part of the Indian Army. Rather, it is under the General Directorate of Security (DGS), a covert organization that operates under the Cabinet Secretariat (which reports directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi), according to India today. The DGS is itself part of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW)
According to a report in Indian express the SFF, formed immediately after the 1962 war with China, previously recruited Tibetans but now comprises a mix of Tibetans and Gorkhas. Initially called Establishment 22, it was appointed by Major General Sujan Singh Uban, an artillery officer he had previously appointed in command of the 22nd Mountain Regiment, according to the report.
Uban commanded this regiment in the British Indian Army during World War II, according to The times of India.
According The new Indian express, The first cadres of the SFF came from the Khampas (people from the Kham region of Tibet, which is under Chinese occupation), who were the original bodyguards of the Dalai Lama. Their main role was to conduct covert operations behind enemy lines in the event of another war with China, according to the report.
The equipment has been used in selected operations of a highly sensitive nature: ‘Operation Eagle’ (Chittagong Hills in the Indo-Pak War of 1971), ‘Operation Bluestar’ (Golden Temple in 1984) ‘Operation Meghdoot’ (Siachen Glacier in 1984) and ‘Operation Vijay’ (Kargil, 1999) according to the newspaper.
The units that make up the SFF are known as Vikas battalions. Former Army Chief of Staff General Dalbir Singh served as Inspector General of the force at one point while in his service, according to the Indian express report.
According The Times of India, While no active or retired Indian Army officers acknowledged the SFF’s role in the operations that occurred over the weekend, they did acknowledge its presence in Ladakh and elsewhere along the border.
Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd), former GOC of the 15th Corps, told the newspaper “I have had ‘Vikas’ units by my side while serving in Ladakh. I’ve seen them play volleyball in vests at 16,000 feet. Their natural affinity for the soil is also very high, which gives them a great advantage in operations. “
A retired lieutenant general, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the newspaper: “We know about them … But their existence has been off the books. The few of us who get to serve with them are under oath. “
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