Special Frontier Force (SFF): All you need to know about the Vikas Battalion

Social media is abuzz about the Special Frontier Force (SFF) unit which outsmarted the PLA and managed to take control of strategic height in the eastern Ladakh. It is also known as as the Vikas Battalion. It is interesting to note that SFF reports directly to the Prime Minister of India and is not a part of the Indian Army. 

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History of SFF

SFF was created on November 14, 1962, by Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of the country, on the advice of the then IB Chief Bhola Nath Mullik. The unit was created after the 1962 Sino-India war. 

The SFF unit is also known as the 'Establishment 22' after the first Inspector General, Major General Sujan Singh Uban. During the Second World War, he commanded the 22nd Mountain Division in Europe. 

About SFF

The force was initially the part of the IB and was later on shifted under R&AW (India's External Intelligence Agency). The unit also has women officers for operations and is headed by Inspector General of the Major General rank of the Indian Army and falls under the purview of the Cabinet Secretariat. 

The SFF units are not part of the Army and function under the operational control of the Indian Army. The SFF has its own rank structures equivalent to Army ranks. 

Training of the special unit

Since the 1950s, the Central Intelligence agency (CIA) has been training Tibetan guerrillas to counter the Chinese forces in Tibet. Around the same time, the CIA and IB established Mustang Base in Nepal. The Mustang rebels brought the current and the 14th Dalai Lama to India, who is currently living in self-imposed exile. 

After the 1962 war, the CIA and IB partnered to train the 5,000-strong force of Tibetans to counter any operations carried out by China.

Major Operations 

1- Operation Eagle: In the year 1971, the SFF helped the Indian Army to advance ahead during the war with Pakistan to neutralise the Pakistani Army Positions in the Eastern Pakistan (now Bangladesh). It is also known as the Bangladesh Liberation War. 

2- Operation Bluestar: In the year 1984, the SFF was used to combat the communal riots to clear the Akal Takht of the Golden Temple. 

3- Operation Meghdoot: In the year 1985, the SFF played a major role in the Siachen battle of 1985-86 and is since then guarding the Siachin Glacier. The region is considered as one of the most inhospitable battle zones of the world. 

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Criticism 

On several occasions, the SFF was found to be conducting cross-border raids and intelligence operations. As a result, in the year 1975, a new rule was issued, restricting the SFF from being deployed within 10 km of the Indo-Chinese border except in extreme conditions. 

Types of equipment used by the units

1. M4A1 Carbine
2. FN P90 Compact Submachine gun
3. MPi KMS-72 East Germany made side-folded Kalashnikov Rifle
4. FN SCAR-L Assault Rifle
5. SVD Dragunov Semi-automatic Sniper Rifle
6. IWI Galil Sniper Semi-automatic Sniper Rifle
7. PKM General Purpose Machine Gun
8. Uk vz. 59L Light Machine Gun
9. Taser Gun
10. MG 2A1 General Purpose Machine Gun
11. AGS-17 Plamya Automatic Grenade Launcher
12. C-90-CR-RB (M3) Disposal Rocket Launcher
13. RL MkIII 84mm Recoilless Rifle
14. B-300 Shipon 82mm Rocket Launcher
15. Advance Audio Communication Set
16. GPS & GPRS Technological Systems
17. Special Tactical Gears
18. Thermal Imaging Cameras
19. Ghillie suit

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