CM Vishnu Deo Sai salutes NSG on Raising Day
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Forty-two years after India raised its most specialised counter-terrorism force, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai marked National Security Guard (NSG) Raising Day on 16 October 2026 with a tribute to the force's 'indomitable courage, unshakeable national loyalty, and valour against terrorism.'
In his post on X, CM Sai wrote in Hindi: 'सर्वत्र सर्वोत्तम सुरक्षा' — 'best security everywhere' — saluting the NSG's founding motto and calling the force a source of pride for every Indian. He extended 'heartfelt greetings to all brave soldiers' of the organisation on its founding anniversary.
India's 'Black Cat' force: built for the worst moments
The NSG was constituted in 1984 as a dedicated federal counter-terrorism unit, tasked with hostage rescue, anti-hijack operations, and neutralising terrorist threats beyond the capacity of regular police. The force's elite operators — widely known as 'Black Cats' — draw personnel from the Army and central police organisations. Their mandate is explicitly national: deployed wherever the crisis is sharpest, regardless of state borders.
The NSG's operational record spans some of India's most dangerous moments, from aircraft hijackings to siege scenarios that demanded precision under extreme pressure. Each Raising Day serves as a moment for the nation to acknowledge that record.
A ritual of recognition across the political spectrum
Tributes to central armed police and special forces on their raising days have become a consistent feature of Indian political culture. Chief ministers, cabinet ministers, and Members of Parliament from across party lines routinely issue public acknowledgements — a practice that underscores cross-party consensus on the legitimacy and prestige of India's security apparatus.
CM Sai's message fits that pattern, but its language is notably specific: rather than generic well-wishing, it singles out the NSG's courage 'against terrorism' and its 'unbreakable national devotion' — framing the force as a living embodiment of its own motto.
Every year the Black Cats raise their anniversary, the nation is reminded that the cost of India's internal security is paid in human dedication — one posting, one operation, one mission at a time.