PM Modi with Russia’s Putin
NEW DELHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s arrival in New Delhi for the bilateral summit triggered a massive security build-up on Thursday, turning critical zones of the capital into a multilayered defensive perimeter. Sources said the protocols in place during G20 summit-2023 have been replicated to ensure safety of the dignitaries.Central to the security logistics for Putin is his custom-made Aurus Senat limousine. This vehicle, commonly dubbed a “rolling bunker”, which was flown in from Moscow for the visit, will be used for exigency, sources said. On Thursday, the car was spotted trailing the armoured Toyota Fortuner in which PM Narendra Modi and Putin traveled together.The Senat resulted from Russia’s Kortezh project, an initiative to develop indigenous vehicles for top state officials. This car is designed to withstand sniper fire, IED blasts and chemical attacks, featuring run-flat tyres and emergency oxygen supply.
A concentric five-layer security grid has been set up, blending the advanced protective protocols of Russia’s internal agencies with those of India’s elite counter-terrorism forces to ensure foolproof protection from the moment the presidential aircraft landed to the time of its departure. A special control room has been set up in each hotel with rooftops being occupied by snipers who have guns equipped with AI-aided technology for calculation and aiming. Anti-drone systems have been installed around the venues as well. For air travel, Putin uses a specially modified Ilyushin IL-96-300PU, sometimes called the “Flying Kremlin,” equipped with four engines, advanced command systems and missile-defence countermeasures, which is accompanied by backup jets flying similar routes to mask the presidential aircraft.The innermost circle of protection is staffed by personnel from Russian Presidential Security Service (SBP), an elite unit operating under Federal Protective Service (FSO). These highly trained officers, selected for their physical and psychological resilience, will be positioned closest to the President, tasked with shielding him, especially during critical moments of his movement to and from his vehicle.Complementing this core team, India’s NSG commandos and Special Protection Group (SPG) units, alongside SWAT teams and Quick Response Teams (QRTs), will form the subsequent layers. All hotels are under the command of a DCP-level officer.Dummy dignitaries have also been placed in some hotels to boost security, and staff of the hotels have been vetted twice by different agencies, sources said.
