For the first time, India’s renowned ‘K-9’ team, the elite dog squad of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), has been enlisted to bolster security for the Paris Olympics. Known for their exceptional skills in safeguarding high-profile events such as the Republic Day celebrations and protecting the Prime Minister, this deployment marks their inaugural assignment at an international event of this scale.
Indian Ambassador to France, Javed Ashraf, announced this development, highlighting that a ten-member K-9 team will be stationed in Paris for a month to assist in securing the upcoming Olympics. Accompanied by their ITBP handlers, these highly trained dogs will play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of the games.
With the Olympics set to begin on July 26 and continue until August 11, extensive security measures are being implemented to thwart potential terrorist threats and maintain public order. In light of India’s ‘security cooperation’ with France, the K-9 team has been specifically invited to contribute to these efforts.
In addition to their Olympics duties, the ITBP’s K-9 team also aided in securing France’s National Day celebrations on July 14. The grand parade in Paris, which last year featured Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the chief guest, benefitted from their expertise.
The ITBP’s K-9 unit, comprising breeds like Belgian Malinois, Labradors, and other local dogs, excels in detecting explosives, ammunition, and narcotics. These canines are integral to the Special Protection Group (SPG) and National Security Guards (NSG) responsible for VVIP security, as well as in identifying IEDs in Naxal-affected regions.
Trained at Bhanu near Chandigarh, the ITBP dog squad shares a similar regimen with the Indian Army’s sniffer teams, which are trained at the Remount and Veterinary Corps (RVC) in Meerut and are pivotal in counter-terrorism operations along the Line of Control (LoC).