More than 500 men of the Special Protection Group (SPG) could be deployed to guard Narendra Modi, who will enjoy the tightest security cover ever, as soon as he takes over as the prime minister.
According to intelligence agencies, senior home ministry official, Modi faces a bigger threat than any of his predecessors from terrorists.
The SPG personnel would provide security in the form of “ring round teams” at the prime minister’s office and residence, besides guarding the isolation cordons and the sterile zone during his appearances at public events and stage and access control to his dais and venues, added the officials.
The SPG has the highest man-budget ratio among all security forces in the country, with a budget of Rs. 408 crore in the current fiscal for a staff of less than 4,000 personnel.
Besides Modi, the force has to guard just five persons – AB Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
A team of the SPG has gone to Gandhinagar to better understand how the Gujarat police handled the security of Modi.
“The SPG will formally take over the security only after Modi is sworn in as the PM. Right now, the SPG, on an informal level, is coordinating with NSG, which continues to provide him a Z-plus security cover,” said a home ministry official, who did not wish to be named.
Modi as PM will have a bigger convoy than Manmohan Singh, first and foremost due to the heightened threat perception.