Sonowal Salutes NSG Black Cats on 42nd Raising Day
Synopsis
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal marked the NSG's 42nd Raising Day on October 16, 2026, saluting the Black Cats for their courage and professionalism. The elite counter-terrorism force was raised on this date in 1984 following Operation Blue Star.
Key Takeaways
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal posted a tribute to the NSG on 16 October 2026 , marking the force's 42nd Raising Day .
The NSG, known as the Black Cats , was formally raised on 16 October 1984 under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Its creation followed recommendations made in the wake of Operation Blue Star in 1984, establishing a dedicated federal contingency counter-terrorism force.
Sonowal invoked the NSG's motto — सर्वत्र सर्वोत्तम सुरक्षा ('best security everywhere') — in his tribute.
The tribute reflects a consistent practice among Indian ministers of publicly acknowledging specialised security formations on their raising days.
Forty-two years after India's most elite counter-terrorism unit was called into existence, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal paid tribute to the National Security Guard (NSG) on Friday, October 16, 2026 — honouring the force he called 'the elite guardians of our nation's security.'
The Sanskrit salutation 'सर्वत्र सर्वोत्तम सुरक्षा' — meaning 'best security everywhere' — opened Sonowal's post on X, anchoring his tribute in the NSG's own motto. He praised the Black Cats for their 'unwavering courage, exceptional professionalism and readiness to serve in the face of the gravest threats,' adding that 'the nation is proud of their valour, sacrifice and steadfast commitment to Bharat's safety and security.'Born from a Crisis: The NSG's Origins in 1984
The NSG was formally raised on 16 October 1984 under the Ministry of Home Affairs, its creation driven by the hard lessons of Operation Blue Star earlier that year. The government needed a dedicated federal contingency force — one trained to handle the most extreme scenarios: aircraft hijackings, hostage rescues, and high-value terrorist threats that conventional law enforcement was never designed to absorb.
Four decades on, the Black Cats have become synonymous with India's last line of internal security — the unit deployed when every other option has been exhausted. Their distinctive black fatigues and beret give the force its famous nickname, and their operational record has made them one of Asia's most recognised special forces.
A Ritual of Acknowledgement Across the Cabinet
Sonowal's tribute follows a well-established pattern among senior Indian ministers and political figures, who routinely mark the raising days of central armed police forces and specialised security units regardless of their direct portfolio responsibilities. The gesture is both symbolic and deliberate — it signals that security formations are a matter of collective national pride, not solely the domain of the Home Ministry.
For Sonowal, a senior BJP leader and former Chief Minister of Assam — a state that has lived with decades of insurgency and knows the cost of internal security failures — the tribute carries particular resonance. The northeast's long arc toward stability has never been disconnected from the capabilities of forces like the NSG.
As India's premier counter-terrorism unit enters its forty-third year, the question the Ministry of Home Affairs will face is whether the force's doctrine, equipment, and manpower keep pace with a threat landscape that keeps shifting. The Black Cats earned their reputation over four decades. The work of staying worthy of it never stops.
Point of View
While ceremonial, reinforces a broader political consensus in India that elite security formations such as the NSG command cross-portfolio respect — a consensus that successive governments have cultivated since the 1980s. For a leader with roots in insurgency-affected Assam, the gesture connects personal political biography to national security symbolism. The 42nd Raising Day also arrives at a moment when India's internal security architecture faces evolving threats, making such public affirmations a quiet signal of institutional support. Whether the Ministry of Home Affairs follows such tributes with substantive policy upgrades to the NSG's capabilities remains the more consequential question.
NationPress
16 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the National Security Guard (NSG) raised?
The NSG was formally raised on 16 October 1984 under India's Ministry of Home Affairs, following recommendations made in the aftermath of Operation Blue Star.
Why is the NSG called the Black Cats?
NSG commandos are nicknamed the 'Black Cats' because of their distinctive all-black operational uniforms and beret, which have become iconic symbols of India's elite counter-terrorism capability.
What is the NSG's role in India's security framework?
The NSG is India's federal contingency force specialising in counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, and anti-hijacking operations — deployed in the most extreme scenarios that conventional law enforcement cannot handle.
What is the NSG motto?
The NSG's motto is the Sanskrit phrase सर्वत्र सर्वोत्तम सुरक्षा , which translates to 'best security everywhere.'
Why did Sarbananda Sonowal post a tribute to the NSG?
As a senior Union Minister and BJP leader, Sonowal marked the NSG's 42nd Raising Day on October 16, 2026, following a well-established practice among Indian ministers of publicly honouring specialised security forces on their founding anniversaries.
