G20
Meeting Security Arrangements
Security
organizations are making sure that everything is ready for the G20 Summit,
which is set to occur on September 9 and 10 in Delhi at the recently rebuilt
Pragati Maidan.
Foreign
intelligence services are also involved in the operation, with a primary goal
of protecting their respective leaders. According to sources, to ensure the
smooth execution of the event, intelligence agencies from nearly all the
countries attending it are in constant contact with India's Research and
Analysis Wing (R&AW), the country's foreign intelligence agency, and
Intelligence Bureau (IB), its domestic counterpart. To prevent any disturbances
or criminal activity, Delhi Police has implemented Section 144 of the CrPC
(Code of Criminal Procedure) over the whole city. Unless it is withdrawn before
September 12, this measure will go into force on August 29 and last for 15
days, ending on that date.
The
National Security Guards (NSG), also known as the "Black Cats," an
elite unit and the Special Protection Group (SPG) commandos will both be
present at the event. The deployment of Delhi Police officers and paramilitary
force members are additional security measures. For increased security at the
G20 Summit, National Security Guard (NSG) commandos and Army snipers will be
stationed in high-rise structures. Anti-drone
radars will be used to mitigate any potential airborne threats. In addition,
commando forces of the Indian Army that are mounted on helicopters and are
equipped with cutting-edge weapons are tasked with eliminating such potential
threats.
Holiday
In Delhi
A public
holiday has been declared in the nation's capital from September 8 to 10,
during which time numerous institutions, offices, banks, schools, business and
commercial establishments, among others, will remain closed. The high-profile
summit will feature participation from heads of various countries and foreign
delegations.
As part
of security drills for the G20 summit, Delhi Police will monitor social media
to halt any rumor-mongering or inflammatory tweets, identify and check criminal
groups, and concentrate on malls, markets, and religious sites in the city,
authorities said on Thursday. After a
review meeting with senior Delhi Police officials, including the police
commissioner, held by Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, they said that all
borders will be "sealed to prevent unwarranted entry" into the
nation's capital while regular vehicular and public movements will be
permitted.
During the discussion, the L-G was
informed that 60 deputy commissioners of police (DCPs) had been appointed to
supervise and manage particular activities associated with the G20 summit
scheduled for next month. The DCPs, according to them, will be in charge of
security at and around the summit site at Pragati Maidan, as well as at the
airport, certain hotels where dignitaries and delegates will stay, locations
where the wives of the state heads will visit, and traffic routes.
Saxena gave stringent instructions to
the Delhi Police on observance of security protocols with an emphasis on the
G20 meeting.
According to the LG's instructions,
additional security measures to be carried out by Delhi Police included
friendly interactions with delegates, tourists, and the general public,
constant vigilance to prevent illegal gatherings, "sealing of all borders
to prevent unwarranted entry into the city," identification and restraint
of the bad guys' activities, among others.
Any gaps in sanitation, vandalism, or
road upkeep shall be reported to the relevant departments by the field police
personnel. According to them, the police will also monitor social media trends
and messages, particularly those that contain incendiary language and
rumor-mongering.
Putting commandos on guard at key
sites
A group of 19 Delhi Police commandos
who just finished a four-week markswomanship training course at an ITBP
facility will be stationed in key areas of the city, including the site of the
G20 summit. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police held a four-week period of
specialized training for the commandos at its training facility in Karera,
Madhya Pradesh.
According to Hindustan Times (HT), up
to 700 members of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) would be in charge of
securing the 43 foreign leaders who are traveling to New Delhi for the G20
conference.
These employees have all served in the
National Security Guards (NSG) or Special Protection Groups (SPG).
The wives and families of these
leaders will be under the protection of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) forces.
"All of these 700+ employees have received training in protecting dignitaries. Under the condition of anonymity, a CRPF official informed the newspaper that they would cooperate with their foreign counterparts in charge of the personal security of the various heads of state and would operate similarly to the SPG.
43 heads of state are anticipated to
attend the G20 conference in New Delhi. PTI File Image
The SPG, which is made up only of
elite police, paramilitary, Intelligence Bureau (IB), and Research and Analysis
Wing (RAW) personnel, is in responsibility of the prime minister of India's
protection.
"Those who have previously worked
with SPG or NSG and handled high-profile VIPs have received a refresher course
in VIP security. It is very similar to the commandos' 10-week training period.
A VIP security official informed CNN-News18 that soft skills about the cultural
sensitivity of the 18 nations the delegates are likely to tour have also been
taught.
According to Live Hindustan,
practically all of the G20 summit's participating nations' foreign intelligence
services are in touch with India's RAW and IB to protect their respective
leaders.
In addition, India has prepared a
number of backup vehicles to transport the dignitaries. According to
CNN-News18, there will be close to 4,000 Delhi Police officers at the G20 venue
in Pragati Maidan, the majority of whom will be wearing plain clothes.
Hotel safety
According to News18, the Indian Air
Force (IAF) and NSG will take control if an intervention is needed in the hotels
where the visiting foreign dignitaries are staying.
In order to handle any hostage
situations during the summit, hotels would have "House Intervention
Teams" or HIT squads made up of Delhi Police officers and NSG commandos.
HIT teams receive training in urban warfare in cramped quarters while armed
with Tavor TAR-21 assault rifles from Israel and Glock 17 handguns from the
United States.
These won't be like the SWAT troops
that will be stationed outside the specified hotels, according to the TOI. HIT
members will have the assistance of snipers who will be able to see the hotel
galleries in the event of a hostage situation.
This week, the IAF and NSG will
conduct crawling drills at specific hotels to test whether commandos can use
helicopters to land in an emergency.
According to reports from news agency
PTI, which cited officials, there will be more than 450 quick response teams
(QRT) of police and disaster management units stationed at the G20 summit site,
23 designated hotels, and routes followed by the foreign leaders.
Seven disaster management teams will
continue to be stationed at key areas, including four hotels, Pragati Maidan,
Rajghat, and IARI-PUSA (Indian Agricultural Research Institute), in order to
further increase security.
According to Indian Express, 69
explosive detection canines from the police's K9 team will be stationed at
crucial locations throughout the National Capital, from the Indira Gandhi
International (IGI) Airport route to their designated hotels.
The majority of these dogs have received
training in explosive detection, some in drug detection, and others are tracker
dogs.
A senior police officer informed the newspaper that they would be
stationed outside the airport, hotels where the dignitaries would be staying,
and any locations they would visit around the clock.
According to Times Now, the more than
5,000-personnel anti-sabotage units of the Indian Army would contribute to the
safety of the National Capital.
According to PTI, up to 80 doctor
teams and 130 ambulances are getting ready to tackle any medical issues that
might occur during the summit. Security officers and medical professionals are
prepared to handle any threat, including nuclear, biological, and chemical
ones.
According to the news agency, 66 fire
trucks will be placed at the G20 area and specific hotels.
According to News18, there are also
units ready to deal with bombs, drones, biological weapons, and chemical
weapons. At the G20 location, anti-drone units with specialized weapons and
jammer equipment will be stationed.
The New Indian Express (TNIE) said
that AI or Artificial Intelligence-powered cameras are being utilized to inform
security if anyone is seen scaling the walls or exhibiting strange body
movements during the summit.
According to Times Now, airborne
dangers would be monitored by anti-drone equipment that can be mounted on
vehicles.
Restricted Traffic Flow
According to the TNIE report, nearly
10,000 traffic police officers will be in charge of ensuring that traffic flows
smoothly throughout the summit.
During the summit days, heavy goods
vehicles (HGVs), medium goods vehicles (MGVs), and light goods vehicles (LGVs)
would not be permitted admission into the National Capital. According to HT,
only goods vehicles transporting necessities like milk, vegetables, ration
items, medications, and gasoline supplies will be permitted.
Although interstate buses can go
through Delhi, they must end their journeys on the Ring Road. Traffic rerouting
will be required for vehicles already in Delhi. Passengers arriving at the New
Delhi, Old Delhi, and Indira Gandhi International (IGI) railway stations during
the summit days would be accommodated.
Additionally, between September 8 and
10, 160 domestic flights to and from IGI Airport are said to have been canceled
as a result of the G20 conference.
According to TNIE, these traffic
restrictions will be in force until September 10th.