Srinagar: For the first time in nearly four decades of armed insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is deploying its elite CoBRA commandos in the Union Territory. CoBRA (backronym for Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) is a specialised unit of CRPF raised in 2008 to counter Left Wing Extremism in multiple states.
With jungle warfare expertise and surgical counter-insurgency efforts in India's Red Corridor, CoBRA commandos are expected to fare better when taking on the heightened terror activity, especially in the Jammu region. The decision comes as a counter to militants who seem to have changed their tactics, moving away from Kashmir and into the forested area of Jammu.
The following are 10 facts you should know about the CoBRA commandos and their mission in Jammu and Kashmir:
1. First-Time Deployment To Kashmir: The CRPF's CoBRA, a jungle warfare specialist unit, is being deployed in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time since its induction in 2008. It is a change of internal security strategy, with CoBRA never having conducted operations in this state before.
2. Growing Militancy in Jammu Forests: The shift's cause is growing militant operations in forests within Jammu, where terrain is deemed close enough as such to now involve the use of CoBRA's jungle warfare capabilities.
3. Originally Meant for Maoist Zones: Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) was set up exactly to counter Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) in India's Red Corridor — a belt of Naxal-affected states covering Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra.
4. Official Announcement and New Unit: The deployment was officially announced by CRPF DG Gyanendra Pratap Singh on Thursday during the 86th Raising Day celebrations. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also announced that a new CoBRA unit will be raised exclusively for Jammu and Kashmir operations.
5. Guerrilla Specialized Training: The commandos of CoBRA receive rigorous training in guerrilla warfare, jungle survival skills, ambush/counter-ambush training, explosive training, and disabling of IEDs at CRPF's training school at Belgaum in Karnataka and the Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School of the Army at Mizoram.
6. High-End Weapons and Tech Gear: They're armed with INSAS, AK-47s, Tavor X-95s, grenade launchers, and sniper rifles. In addition, they carry GPS devices, night vision equipment, satellite communication tools, and wear light tactical gear for swift jungle movement.
7. Higher Risk, Higher Pay: Recognising the dangerous nature of their missions, CoBRA commandos receive 15% higher salary than regular CRPF personnel. Their work tends to be in the form of clandestine, high-risk, intelligence-driven operations in enemy domains.
8. Earlier Kashmir Deployment Was Not Operational: A few CoBRA companies had been deployed in Kashmir in 2023 but for training only. There was an internal resistance to deploying them operationally due to fears that their skills were geared towards Maoist jungles rather than Kashmir's landscape.
9. Altered Perception Due to Topographical Similarity: Despite the initial resistance, the similarity in Jammu's dense jungles and Maoist-affected jungles has led to a reappraisal. Jungle warfare techniques are now recognised as useful to counter terrorists active in such terrain.
10. Integration with Other Region-Based Elite Groups: CoBRA is subsequently integrated with other specialist groups on patrol in Jammu and Kashmir, each of which has their own specialized skill set, fine-tuned to the region's varied terrain as well as to its varied areas of threat.
The MARCOS, or the Indian Navy Marine Commandos, are amphibious warfare specialists. They are utilized mainly for riverine and lake operations in Kashmir, especially where silent water-borne operations are needed, such as in Wular Lake and the Jhelum River.
The National Security Guard (NSG), or the Black Cats, are India's best counter-terror and hostage rescue unit. Despite not maintaining a permanent deployment in Kashmir, they are sent to conduct high-risk urban terror operations where precision is key.
The Indian Army Para Special Forces (Para SF) are trained to function at high altitudes, conduct deep penetration, and operate along the Line of Control (LoC). Their skills are particularly important in fighting in the mountains and making surgical strikes over tough terrain. Along with CoBRA, these elite forces now constitute a multi-dimensional response force to address militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.
