Govt to set up National Security Guard ‘Black Cat’ commando hub in Ayodhya: Amit Shah

The government will establish a new regional hub of the National Security Guard (NSG) in Ayodhya, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Tuesday. The move marks a major expansion of the elite 'Black Cat' commando force, which handles counter-terror operations and high-risk security situations across the country.

Speaking at the 41st Raising Day of the NSG in Delhi, Shah said the Ayodhya hub will be the sixth regional base for the force, after those in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Gandhinagar. The NSG also maintains a smaller task force in Jammu.

“So far, five hubs of the NSG have been established in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad (Gandhinagar). In addition, a new hub is also going to be set up in Ayodhya. Here, the NSG personnel will be deployed and available round the clock,” Shah said.


He added that the Modi government plans to bring “a major change in the functioning of the NSG” in the coming days, without elaborating on the nature of these changes.

The decision to expand the NSG’s presence comes nearly 16 years after the government operationalised its first four regional hubs, in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata, on June 30 and July 1, 2009. Those hubs were set up following the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks to ensure that NSG commandos could reach crisis zones faster, instead of being airlifted from Delhi.

The fifth hub, in Gandhinagar, was approved in March 2011. Each regional unit serves as a specialised backup force capable of handling prolonged, high-risk counter-terror operations. These hubs also strengthen coordination with state police forces and improve local preparedness for emergencies.

Raised in 1984, the NSG is widely regarded as a world-class, “zero-error” force capable of responding to any kind of terrorist threat with minimal delay. It draws personnel from both the Indian Army and the Central Armed Police Forces, and is tasked with counter-terrorism, anti-hijack operations, and VIP security.

With inputs from PTI