NSG Marks 42nd Raising Day in New Delhi as Leaders Salute Black Cats' Courage
New Delhi, 16 October 2026: India’s elite federal counter-terrorism force, the National Security Guard (NSG), popularly known as the Black Cats, marked its 42nd Raising Day on Thursday, drawing greetings and tributes from leaders across the political spectrum. Messages from Union Ministers, Chief Ministers and the Indian Army highlighted the force’s long record of high-risk operations, its strict professionalism, and the sacrifices made by its personnel and families.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah led the tributes, extending Raising Day wishes to the “warriors of the National Security Guard.” In his message, he said the NSG Black Cats have “blown up every terror threat to India with the fury of the storms and guarded the nation with steely courage, flawless professionalism and valiant sacrifices,” and also saluted the force’s martyrs. The Indian Army, through the Additional Directorate General of Public Information, conveyed greetings on behalf of Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth and all ranks to NSG personnel, veterans and families, while invoking the force’s motto, Sarvatra Sarvottam Suraksha.
Several state leaders and Union Ministers also acknowledged the force’s service. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paid tribute to the Black Cats and the quiet sacrifice of their families. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini also praised the force’s courage and dedication. Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Dharmendra Pradhan and G. Kishan Reddy joined in saluting the commandos’ professionalism and commitment.
Origins and mandate
The NSG was created after a Union Cabinet decision in 1984 to establish a nodal national counter-terror force under the Ministry of Home Affairs, built from highly motivated, specially equipped and rigorously trained personnel. A nucleus for the force was sanctioned in June 1984. The force was later formally constituted under the National Security Guard Act, 1986, which received Presidential assent on 22 September 1986.
The decision to raise the NSG came in the aftermath of Operation Blue Star and the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, both of which exposed the need for a dedicated federal contingency capability beyond the response capacity of state police and other central forces. The NSG was envisaged as a specialised instrument for exceptional situations that required a rapid, centralised and highly trained response.
Modelled on the United Kingdom’s SAS and Germany’s GSG-9, the force is organised around two complementary components. The Special Action Group (SAG) is drawn from the Indian Army, while the Special Ranger Groups (SRG) are drawn from Central Armed Police Forces and State Police. Its operational philosophy is a swift strike followed by immediate withdrawal from the theatre of action.
The NSG is not intended to perform routine policing functions and is deployed only in exceptional circumstances. Its vision is that of a “World Class Zero Error Force,” guided by the motto सर्वत्र सर्वोत्तम सुरक्षा (Sarvatra Sarvottam Suraksha — Best Security Everywhere).
Operational legacy
Since its inception, the NSG has been associated with some of India’s most sensitive counter-terrorism, hostage-rescue and anti-hijacking operations. Among its best-known missions are Operation Black Thunder I and II, when militants were cleared from the Golden Temple complex in 1986 and 1988; Operation Ashwamedh, which saw the successful storming of a hijacked Indian Airlines aircraft at Amritsar in 1993 with no civilian casualties; Operation Vajra Shakti, mounted in response to the 2002 Akshardham Temple attack; and Operation Black Tornado during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008.
During Operation Black Tornado, NSG commandos carried out prolonged multi-site operations at the Taj Mahal Palace, Oberoi Trident and Nariman House. The force has also been deployed in other contingencies, including the response to the Pathankot airbase attack.
Personnel in the NSG serve on deputation and undergo intensive selection and training that emphasises speed, surprise, stealth, precision and accuracy. The force also maintains regional hubs to enable rapid deployment, and it has continued outreach activities, including student visits and blood-donation camps in the lead-up to this year’s Raising Day.
On its 42nd anniversary, the NSG remains the Ministry of Home Affairs’ nodal national counter-terror force, positioned as an instrument of last resort within India’s internal security architecture. The tributes on 16 October 2026 reflected the official recognition of the Black Cats’ discipline, operational readiness and the sacrifices that sustain the force’s zero-error ethos.
