SOUTH INDIA PLANS TO BOOST SECURITY FORCES IN WAKE OF

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CHENNAI 000395

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC ETTC IN
SUBJECT: SOUTH INDIA PLANS TO BOOST SECURITY FORCES IN WAKE OF
MUMBAI ATTACKS

REFS: A) CHENNAI 251, B) CHENNAI 254


1. (SBU) Summary: The attacks in Mumbai have concentrated minds in
South India. Karnataka state officials in Bangalore are apparently
close to finalizing plans to create two new security forces. One
will be a 700-member S.W.A.T.-style commando squad; the other will
be a 4500-member unit designed to provide armed security to
important facilities in the private sector. The commando squad
appears to be a relatively new idea, but state officials have been
discussing an armed security squad for the private sector for at
least 18 months. Both units should help fill gaping holes in the
state's capabilities, and may provide opportunities for cooperation
with U.S. entities.

Target: Bangalore?
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2. (SBU) In the wake of the Mumbai attacks, Karnataka officials see
their state, and particularly its capital, Bangalore, as a prime
target for future terror attacks. The city has suffered terror
attacks before, including a series of bombings in July (reftels) and
a shooting/grenade attack at the Indian Institute of Science in

2006. As the birthplace of India's high-technology boom, Bangalore
also hosts campuses, offices, and buildings belonging to many of the
world's leading high-tech companies, including Microsoft, GE, Texas
Instruments, IBM, Wipro, Infosys, and Dell, to name only a few.
Local officials and business leaders have long feared that "brand
Bangalore" may be a tempting target for terrorists.

Black Cats in Bangalore
--------------


3. (SBU) The state's Home Secretary (who is in charge of
law-and-order issues),showed us on December 3 a draft plan to
create a state S.W.A.T.-style police force of approximately 700
modeled on the Indian Government's National Security Guards (NSG,
colloquially referred to as the "Black Cats"). The NSG, based in
New Delhi, played the key role in engaging the terrorists in Mumbai
and bringing that attack to an end. He said that the plan had been
"fast-tracked" and should get the necessary approval within days.
(He told us on December 4 that the cabinet had already approved the
plan.)

Protecting the private sector
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4. (SBU) The Home Secretary also told us that the state was in the
final stages of approving a 4500-strong force modeled on the central
government's Central Industrial Security Force (CISF),which guards
India's key bits of infrastructure, including ports, airports, and
civilian nuclear facilities. The role of this force would be to
provide armed guards for key private sector facilities, including
Bangalore's info-tech campuses. At present, India's gun-control
laws make it difficult for private sector firms to have armed
security. This new force, likely financed through a combination of
public and private funding, aims to fill this gap. He said that the
force could get approval "within two weeks."

Tamil Nadu goes shopping for its commandos
--------------


5. (SBU) Local press reported that Tamil Nadu's police commando unit
(282 men and 10 women) have submitted a proposal to procure new
equipment, including night-vision gear, helmets, two-inch mortars,
sniper rifles, and other improved weaponry. The state has its own
commando training school, established in 1992, but its graduates
have seen little action, apart from a 1996 encounter with a
gangster, according to the report.

Comment:
--------------


6. (SBU) There is no doubt that South India's policy makers paid
close attention to the Mumbai attacks and are keen to prevent a
repeat. Usually, attacks in India have resulted in local
authorities stepping up security temporarily, and then going "back
to normal" after a few days or weeks. We have delivered messages in
recent days to top officials in our consular district urging them to
make permanent, robust improvements to security in facilities like
hotels. It is too soon to tell whether these states will heed this
advice, but Karnataka's efforts to create new security
infrastructure appear to be a step in the right direction. Their
creation may even open new opportunities for collaboration with U.S.
law enforcement entities, particularly in the wake of the GOI's
willingness to cooperate with the FBI in Mumbai. Perhaps even more
important than creating these forces, however, will be whether they
are trained and deployed effectively. We will be watching closely.


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