The elite Indian unit born from a single wartime commando force
In short: In 1965, a volunteer group known as the Megh Force proved so effective at destroying strategic bridges that the Indian government decided to formalize it. This small, ad hoc unit became the nucleus of the legendary 9 Para (SF), an elite force with a storied history of high-stakes raids.
The lineage of the Para (Special Forces) is deeply rooted in the British Indian Army's 50th Parachute Brigade, established in October 1941. This brigade originally comprised British and Gurkha battalions, eventually evolving into the modern Parachute Regiment in 1952. While the regiment has grown to ten battalions, its most specialized units emerged from specific combat successes during the mid-20th century.
A pivotal moment occurred during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war. Colonel Megh Singh led the 'Megh Force,' a volunteer group that achieved significant results against enemy infrastructure. The success of this unit led to the official creation of the 9th Battalion (Commando) on July 1, 1966. By 1967, this unit was split to create the 10th Battalion, with one half tasked for desert warfare and the other for mountain operations.
The evolution of the Special Forces has been an ongoing process of conversion and expansion. In 1978, 1 Para was transformed into the army's first dedicated special forces unit. Later, in 1995, the 21 Maratha Light Infantry was selected to undergo a rigorous year-long training period to become the 21st Battalion (SF). More recent expansions include the raising of the 11th, 12th, and 13th Para (SF) units between 2011 and 2022.
These units have executed diverse missions, from the 1971 Operation Mandhol—where raiders destroyed six artillery guns—to the 1988 liberation of the Maldives. Their operational spectrum ranges from counter-insurgency in the Loktak Lake region to complex hostage rescues, maintaining a reputation for precision and high-stakes tactical execution.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Para (Special Forces)
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