Security categories in India

In India, security details are provided to some high-risk individuals by the police and local government. Depending on the threat perception to the person, the category is divided into six tiers: SPG, Z+ (highest level), Z, Y+, Y and X. Individuals under this security blanket include (but are not limited to) the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Supreme Court and High Court Judges, Service Chiefs of Indian Armed Forces, Governors of State, Chief Ministers and Cabinet Ministers, actors and other VIPs: In India, Top Security is given to PM of India and then there are 9 VVIPs who are given NSG Z+ Security in which some are provided ASL also and rest are not given that.

SPG is an elite force whose details are classified and only provided to the Prime Minister of India. In case of NSG Security first comes NSG ASL and then NSG. NSG Security is above CRPF or any of the rest of CAPFs Security. Z+ (ASL) category - Z+ cover with Advanced Security Liaison. Z+ category is a security detail of 36 personnel, including 10+ Central Reserve Police Force commandos and police personnel. Z category is a security detail of 22 personnel, including 4-6 Central Armed Police Forces commandos and police personnel. Y+ category is a security detail of 11 personnel, including 2-4 commandos and police personnel. Y category is a security detail of 8 personnel, including 1 or 2 commandos and police personnel. X category is a security detail of 2 personnel, with no commandos but only armed police personnel. In a significant shift in VIP security arrangements, the Union Government has decided to withdraw the National Security Guard (NSG), also known as "black cat commandos," from VIP security duties. This decision aims to refocus the NSG on its core counter-terrorism role. The Z+ level of security is now provided by CRPF commandos or other Central Armed Police Forces such as the ITBP, CISF, or the respective State Police. They are armed with Heckler & Koch MP5 sub-machine guns and modern communication equipment, and each member of the team is adept in martial arts and unarmed combat skills. Currently 40 VIPs are provided with such protection. The Z category entails protection by the Delhi Police or the ITBP or CRPF personnel and one escort car. The Y category encompasses two personal security officers (PSOs) and the X category, one PSO. The withdrawal of the NSG from VVIP security duties will lead to the transfer of security for nine high-risk VIPs, including prominent political leaders like Yogi Adityanath, Mayawati, Rajnath Singh, M. K. Stalin, N. Chandrababu Naidu, L. K. Advani, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Farooq Abdullah, Sarbananda Sonowal, and Raman Singh, to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). In practice, the number of police personnel deployed for VIP security often far exceeds the officially allocated number. For example, over 200 civil police (not counting armed police, counted as a separate category, or any privately hired security) were posted at Mulayam Singh Yadav's Lucknow residence during his third term as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. His successor, Mayawati, reportedly had over 350 police officers in her security detail.Recently, Actor turned politician Vijay has been granted Y Scale Security, but considering his fanbase and popularity down south in India, he will need more. The "Blue Book" details about security given to the President, Vice-President and the Prime Minister and their families and the "Yellow Book" details about security given to other VIPs and VVIPs. The Home Ministry in coordination with different intelligence agencies issues guidelines for security cover. The SPG (Special Protection Group), NSG (National Security Guards), ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police) and CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) are the agencies responsible for providing securities to VVIPs, VIPs, politicians, high-profile celebrities and sportspersons. Many NSG personnel are seconded to the Special Protection Group (SPG) which guards the Prime Minister. Most NSG and SPG commandos have already served in paramilitary forces.