IAF Airborne Special Forces: Garud Commando

Garud Commando Force

The Garud Commando Force is the Indian Air Force special forces unit. It was established in September 2004 and has a present strength of over 1500 personnel. The force derives its name from the Garuda, a divine bird-like creature. Currently, Garuds are deployed in the Congo as part of the United Nation peacekeeping operations.

Image Source Grahmo

History of the Garuds:

The initial plans introduced in October 2001 which demanded a specialized force with round 2000 commandos. The group was initially recognized as 'Tiger Force’, but with time it renamed as the ‘Garud Force’.

The Garuds were first revealed on 6^th February 2004, when the first-ever batch of 62 ‘Air Commandos’ passed out of the training in New Delhi. The Garuds were initially seen in public during the Air Force Day celebrations at the New Delhi on 8^th October 2004.

The Indian Air Force after the Pathankot Terror attack decided to increase ten additional squadrons of the Garud commandos, consisting about 700 personnel, bringing the overall strength of the force to 1780.

The training phase of the Garuds:

Garud trainees go through a 72-week training. The fundamental Training course, which is the longest of all the Indian special forces but it even includes the basic training. The overall duration of the training before the trainee may qualify as a completely operational Garud is in around a duration of 3 years.
The initial phase is a 3-month probationary training that filters out the promising candidates for the next phases of the training. This phase, which generally has a high Drop-out rate is organized at the Garud Regimental Training Centre situated at Hindon, Ghaziabad which is close to New Delhi.

Image Source: The Week

The subsequent phase of the special operations training is transmitted by the Special Frontier Force Special Group, the army special forces and the NSG. All those individuals who qualify, proceed to the PTS (Parachute Training School) at Agra to fulfil the basic airborne phase. Trainees got trained along with the paratroopers of the Indian Army.
The remainder of the phases comprises the niche fields such as jungle & snow survival, demolition, etc. Garuds even train at the Indian Navy diving school and in the Army's CIJWS (Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School). The final phase of the training is active operations which are being attached to the Special Force Units of the Indian Army, which provide help to the Garuds in gaining the operational experience.
After the induction, the commandos even undergo advanced training involving anti-hijack counter-insurgency training, specialized weapon handling, jungle & snow survival techniques and advanced diving skills.

More about Garuds:

Organization:

Garud personnel are mobilized as the Airmen within the rank structure of the Indian Airforce. The entire force is presently under the command of the Wing Commander rank officer. The Garud force is conducted into 15 ‘Flights’, a flight is abruptly equivalent of the company in an infantry battalion, and is commanded by the Flight Lieutenant. Each flight is based at several Air Force stations, where they attain training and provide security. The Garud Commando Force has an overall present strength of more than 1500 personnel.

Uniform and Insignia:

Garud airman wears the ‘Airman Beret Badge’ on their cap. They are even parachute trained, and they wear para wings above the right pocket. The ‘Garud Force Patch’ may be view worn on their sleeve.
The Garud Commando Badge, which was worn by them on the right pocket and it resembles the NSG badge, is now no longer in use. Rather they now have the Garud Winged Badge which is of gold in colour and it is worn on the left chest, similar to that of the pilot or aircrew wings are worn.
The Garud Commando used to wear a black beret, alternatively of the traditional maroon beret of the other units of Indian Special Forces, but now they wear the maroon beret. The formation of insignia is worn by them on the left shoulder. The Garuds are even entitled to worn ‘IAF GARUD’ titles on their sleeves.

Duties and Responsibilities performed by the Garuds:

Garuds have various responsibilities. Besides the base protection force to protect the airfields and significant assets in the hostile environments, some advanced Garud units are trained such as Army Para Commandos & the Naval MARCOS to handle the missions deep behind enemy lines.

Wartime duties

During the hostilities, Garuds perform combat search & rescue, the rescue of the downed airmen and other forces from behind the enemy lines, SEAD (suppression of enemy air defence), combat control, radar busting, missile & munitions guidance and other missions in support of the air operations. They also undertake an offensive role involving raids on the enemy air bases etc. during the times of war.

Apart from protecting the airbases from the sabotage and attacks by the commando raids, they are even tasked to seal off the weapons systems, fighter hangars and the other major systems during the intrusions and conflicts.

Peacetime duties

During the peacetime, alongside with protecting the airbases and also some other vital infrastructure from the terrorist attacks, Garud roles even include counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, anti-hijacking, providing aid during the natural calamities and the military tasks in the nation’s interest.

As in the failed attack case on the Awantipur AFS in October 2001, Garuds performs as an emergency terror-response unit.

Operational deployments of the Garuds:

There is very little known about the Garud Commando operations & assignments. Garuds have been deployed to the Congo as UN peacekeeping contingent part. They even operate alongside Army special forces in the Jammu & Kashmir to gain operational exposure. Towards this aim, teams from the flights got attached to the army SF units. The Garuds are at present active in the region of the Jammu & Kashmir performing out the counter-insurgency operations and also neutralising the terrorists in the area. Garud Commandos were assigned to provide security at the Yelahanka AFS during Aero India in the years 2005, 2007, 2011 & 2013.

2016 Pathankot attack

On 2^ndJanuary 2016, the team suffered a casualty during the 2016 Pathankot attack when the Commando Gursewak Singh died in the action. All the Indian Air Force assets were declared safe.

Jammu & Kashmir

The Garud Commandos are actively stationed in the Lolab Valley & the Hajin area of the Jammu & Kashmir to conduct the counter-insurgency operations. They have performed operations against the armed militants from the groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba. These operations have involved tasks like direct encounters & intelligence gathering. The following were some among the known operations conducted by the Garud commandos:

Operation Rakh Hajin: It was an operation which was performed by the Garud Commandos in which 6 militants were killed in the Kashmir valley. The Ashok Chakra was awarded posthumously to the Corporal J.P. Nirala for conducting the same.
In the year 2018 July month, 2 Garud commandos and 2 armed militants were killed during a quite intense gunfight at the Hajin, Bandipora. As per the military authorities, the Garud commandos were stationing alongside the Special Operations Group of Jammu & Kashmir police and in the Indian Army.

AFSOD deployments

In the November month of 2019, Garuds initiated operating as the part of the first-ever deployment of the Armed Forces Special Operations Division in the Jammu and Kashmir.

Honours are given to the Garuds:

Garuds have been awarded one Ashok Chakra, four Shaurya Chakras and several Vayu Sena Medals. Garud Commando named Jyoti Prakash Nirith ala was awarded the Ashok Chakra posthumously in the year 2018 for his actions in the Jammu & Kashmir.