Air Force, Navy Chiefs Get Security Upgrade, Will Be In Z+ Category Now

Navy chief Sunil Lanba, IAF chief BS Dhanoa and Army chief General Bipin Rawat (L to R)

With tensions between India and Pakistan at an all-time high after the Pulwama terror attack, the Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to increase the security for the Air Force and Navy chiefs.

"In a meeting happened at MHA yesterday to review the internal security across the country, a decision was taken to increase the security for Air Force and Navy Chiefs. Now both these Chiefs will be provided with Z+ category security. Order to this effect has been passed," said a Home Ministry officer, requesting anonymity.

NDTV has also accessed the order which stated, "The security arrangements in respect of Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa and Admiral Sunil Lanba has been examined in this Ministry. It has been decided to provide them 'Z+' category security in the central list."

"Delhi Police is, therefore, requested to provide Z+ category security to Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa and Admiral Sunil Lanba, immediately, under intimation to this Ministry," the order said.

"We received the order from MHA yesterday evening to provide Z+ category security to Air Force and Navy cheifs. Both their security detail have been increased to Z+ category from today," said a Delhi Police officer.

"As Army chief already has enough security, keeping in mind the present situation and assessing the threat level, a decision was taken to increase the security cover to Air Force and Navy Chiefs to match with Army Chief," added the Home Ministry officer.

Z+ category security is the highest category security in the country which includes a security cover of 55 personnel including 10 National Security Guard or NSG commandos.

The NSG commandos are equipped with sophisticated MP5 guns and modern communication gadgets.