India’s First All-Women SWAT Team Guards Prime Minister Narendra Modi On Independence Day

A 36-member all-female Special Weapons And Tactics team from north-east India provided security cover to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during celebrations of the 72nd Independence Day at the Red Fort in Delhi today.

The women, who broke the traditional male stronghold to enter the SWAT team, were formally inducted on August 10. They were trained by the National Security Guard for anti-terrorism duty under the Delhi Police's Special Cell.

“All Women SWAT Commando unit is an expert in unarmed combat, ambush & counter ambush, urban operations with knowledge of explosives, improvised explosive devices and assault weapons,” the Delhi Police had said in a statement on Twitter. They are equipped with AK-47 rifles, MP5 machine guns, Glock 17 or 26 pistols and corner shot devices for enhanced night vision. The commandos are also trained in Krav Maga, which is a self-defence system developed for the Israel Defence Forces, the police said.

“I will always remember this day when I got the opportunity to provide security on one of the key events in the country,” Sumata Rabta, one of the members of the squad, told the newswire PTI. Another member, Mihnhunsa, said that she hoped this would help change the perceptions about north-east India. “Even though it's difficult to change people's set notions about our region, we can try to do so through our uniform.”

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(With inputs from PTI)