NSG Enhances Sniping Capabilities of Commandos to Tackle Terrorists, Threats to National Security

NSG Director General SP Singh said told news agency PTI that the commandoes have been training with new sniper weapons and have been increasingly using them for "special operations".

New Delhi, Jan 9: The National Security Guard (NSG) has been enhancing the sniping capabilities of its commandoes to tackle terrorists more effectively and prevent threats to national security, the counter-terror force’ chief said on Tuesday. NSG Director General SP Singh said told news agency PTI that the commandoes have been training with new sniper weapons and have been increasingly using them for “special operations”.

“The skill of sniping is a big asset for a commando force like us. We have put a greater stress on this domain,” Singh told PTI. The agency said that they have procured new advanced weapons and has “trained more personnel for special tasks”. While the NSG didn’t reveal the number of commandoes training for the “special tasks”, an official said that the snipers are especially for NSG assault teams but their numbers are increasing now.

So, the next time a counter-terror team is making an intervention where a terrorist is holed up, the snipers would not only give them a good cover but also help in neutralising the target in better time,” a senior officer said.

In February, it was reported that the NSG has upgraded its sniper rifles and inducted the German PSG1 A1. German PSG1 A1 has “longer range and extreme accuracy”. It has telescopic sight which is an upgrade of PSG1 sniper variant used by the marksmen of the NSG. For the first time, the agency has also included the sniping discipline.

The NSG said it wants all the security forces to have “synergy and inter-operability” when it comes to tackling terrorists and other threats to the national security.

With inputs from PTI.