Special Intelligence Operations: What is Army's covert TSD unit? All you need to know

Raised as an ad hoc of the Indian Army’s Directorate of Military Intelligence, the Technical Services Division (TSD) came into existence in 2010 under the then Chief of Army Staff General V K Singh. Classified as a Covert Operations and Intelligence Gathering unit, the TSD’s mandate enabled it to operate deep inside enemy lines. Notably, the unit was formed under due consideration of the top military intelligence echelon after the brutal 2008 Mumbai attacks by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists.  

Following the Mumbai attacks, then National Security Adviser (NSA) M K Narayanan recommended the creation of an Indian intelligence unit with the capability to strike Pakistan-based terror groups. In March 2010, Chief of Military Intelligence, Lt Gen R.K. Loomba received the go-ahead for the creation of TSD from the Army Chief General V K Singh.

What was the TSD’s operational mandate?

After receiving the go-ahead for the creation of the TSD, Lt Gen R K Loomba assigned Colonel Hunny Bakshi to head the unit and train the personnel under it. In an interview with Major Gaurav Arya on ‘The Gaurav Arya Show’, Col Hunny Bakshi revealed that the Indian Army’s intelligence setup and operational capabilities prompted NSA Narayanan to approach it with the idea of raising a team capable of gathering intelligence as well as carrying out strikes against Pakistan-based terrorists.

According to Col Hunny Bakshi, the TSD reported directly to the Director General of Military Intelligence (DG-MI) and the Chief of Army Staff. When asked about the briefing given by the then Army Chief Gen V K Singh for the creation of the covert unit, Col Hunny Bakshi said, “It was quite an open-ended brief.”  

“We had to ensure that the enemies of the nation are put to where they are supposed to be,” Col Hunny Bakshi revealed on The Gaurav Arya Show. He further revealed the mindset that the TSD looked for when selecting officers and personnel to be assigned to it.

“There is a very thin line between stupidity and bravery. I needed to find people who were stupidly brave,” Col Hunny Bakshi told Maj Gaurav Arya during the interview. He also cited that TSD required experienced officers capable of undertaking and achieving strategic tasks at a national level.

Although the selection of officers assigned to the Technical Services Division was done directly under Col Hunny Bakshi's supervision, he gave the liberty to the selected officers to further handpick the JCOs and the NCOs for the unit.

Notably, the TSD’s primary focus was on planning and execution of special intelligence gathering and covert operations in the North and North-East regions of India as well as inside enemy territory. However, much of the information about TSD’s operations and activities remains out of public knowledge in view of national interest.

Watch: What Is Army's Covert TSD Unit? Col Hunny Bakshi Explains On The Gaurav Arya Show