All-female Swat team to guard India’s leader

INDIA is to deploy its first all-female elite Swat team, trained in explosives, urban warfare and deadly martial arts, to protect its prime minister.

The counter-terrorism unit is made up of 36 commandos, who have completed 15 months of exhaustive training by experts from around the world in weapons, counter-terrorist measures and Krav Maga, the deadly martial art pioneered by Israeli special forces.

After being inducted by Delhi Police, they are now expected to play a major role in the security detail for Narendra Modi as he makes

Day address from Wednesday.

Presiding over the induction ceremony on Friday, Rajnath Singh, India’s home minister, said he was happy to see women promoted to the ranks of elite squads.

Amulya Patnaik, the Delhi police commissioner, said the women had been rated better than their male counterparts by trainers. “These women are second to none when it comes to handling terror strikes and hostage crises in urban areas,” he said.

The idea for the unit came large number of female cadets graduated from Delhi’s police academy last year, with dozens showing interest in commando training.

It is hoped that, working undercover, they can conduct surveillance undetected, owing to the low number of Indian female officers – fewer than 10 per cent in Delhi – and because the size and build of male officers can often give them away.

Mr Singh said Delhi Police should be a role model for other forces.

“The practices adopted by Delhi Police should be among the best practices of police,” he said.