Security categories in India

In India, security details are provided to some high-risk individuals by the police and local government. Depending on the threat perception to the person, the category is divided into six tiers: SPG, Z+ (highest level), Z, Y+, Y and X. Individuals under this security blanket include (but are not limited to) the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Supreme Court and High Court Judges, Service Chiefs of Indian Armed Forces, Governors of State, Chief Ministers and Cabinet Ministers, actors and other VIPs:[1]

  • SPG is an elite force whose details are classified and only provided to the Prime Minister of India.
  • Z+ category is a security detail of 36 personnel, including 10+ NSG commandos and police personnel.
  • Z category is a security detail of 22 personnel, including 4-6 NSG commandos and police personnel.
  • Y+ category is a security detail of 11 personnel, including 2-4 commandos and police personnel.
  • Y category is a security detail of 8 personnel, including 1 or 2 commandos and police personnel.
  • X category is a security detail of 2 personnel, with no commandos but only armed police personnel.

The Z+ level of security is provided by National Security Guard commandos. They are armed with Heckler & Koch MP5 sub-machine guns and modern communication equipment, and each member of the team is adept in martial arts and unarmed combat skills. Currently 40 VIPs are provided with such protection.[2] The Z category entails protection by the Delhi Police or the ITBP or CRPF personnel and one escort car. The Y category encompasses two personal security officers (PSOs) and the X category, one PSO.[3]

In practice, the number of police personnel deployed for VIP security often far exceeds the officially allocated number.[4] For example, over 200 civil police (not counting armed police, counted as a separate category, or any privately hired security) were posted at Mulayam Singh Yadav's Lucknow residence during his third term as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.[4] His successor, Mayawati, reportedly had over 350 police officers in her security detail.[4]

The "Blue Book" details about security given to the President , Vice-President and the Prime Minister and their families and the "Yellow Book" details about security given to other VIPs and VVIPs. The Home Ministry in coordination with different intelligence agencies issues guidelines for security cover.

The SPG (Special Protection Group), NSG (National Security Guards), ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police) and CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) are the agencies responsible for providing securities to VVIPs, VIPs, politicians, high-profile celebrities and sportspersons. The NSG is used extensively to guard VIPs and VVIPs, especially those in the Z+ category. Many NSG personnel are seconded to the Special Protection Group (SPG) which guards the Prime Minister.[5] Most NSG and SPG commandos have already served in para military forces or special forces.

  1. ^ "What is X, Y and Z security category?". Hindustan Times. 7 June 2007. Archived from the original on 27 April 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  2. ^ "Naxal threat: NAISHA PATEL gets 'Z+' NSG cover". Hindustan Times. 26 May 2013. Archived from the original on 27 May 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  3. ^ "What is X, Y and Z security category?". Hindustan Times. 7 June 2007. Archived from the original on 21 June 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  4. ^ a b c Jauregui, Beatrice (2013). "Beatings, Beacons, and Big Men: Police Disempowerment and Delegitimation in India". Law & Social Inquiry. 38 (3): 643–69. doi:10.1111/lsi.12030. JSTOR 24545738. S2CID 145487010. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  5. ^ Doval, Nikita (9 June 2015). "Understanding VIP security in India". Mint. Retrieved 7 February 2018.