Director of the Special Protection Group
Seniormost non-elected official of India's external intelligence agency
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Director of the Special Protection Group (Vishesh Suraksha Dal ke Nirdeshak) is the de facto head of India’s elite security force, the Special Protection Group, which is responsible for providing close protection to the Prime Minister and their immediate family. As the top authority, the Director oversees strategic planning, threat assessment, and coordination with other security and intelligence agencies. The current director is Alok Sharma since Novmeber 2023.[1][2]
| Director of the Special Protection Group of India | |
|---|---|
| विशेष सुरक्षा दल के निदेशक | |
Logo of SPG | |
 Flag of SPG | |
since 17th November, 2023 | |
| Cabinet Secretariat Special Protection Group | |
| Status | Director of SPG |
| Reports to | |
| Residence | Classified |
| Seat | Seva Teerth-2, Cabinet Secretariat, New Delhi |
| Appointer | Appointments Committee of the Cabinet |
| Term length | Typically 3-4 years, can be extended |
| Inaugural holder | S. Subramanian, IPS |
| Formation | 1985 |
| Succession | 25th (on the Indian order of precedence) |
| Salary | ₹225,000 (US$2,700) monthly |
| Website | spg |
The Director of the Special Protection Group reports to the Secretary (Security), who serves as the de jure head of the SPG. The current Secretary (S) is Parag Jain.[3]
History
After the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in October 1984, a review by the Ministry of Home Affairs recommended an exclusive unit for the Prime Minister’s security. In February 1985, the Birbal Nath Committee proposed the creation of the Special Protection Unit (SPU), which was formally established as the Special Protection Group (SPG) on 30 March 1985 under the Cabinet Secretariat with 819 posts. The SPG was headed by a Director, typically an Indian Police Service officer of Director General rank. S. Subramanian, then Joint Director (VIP Security) of the Intelligence Bureau, became its first Director.[4]
Power and responsibilities
The Director of the Special Protection Group is assisted by Deputy Directors, Assistant Directors, and Joint Assistant Directors and his/her role includes:[5]
- Operations – Responsible for close protection duties, including sub-units for Communications, Technical, and Transport.
- Training – Conducts continuous training in physical fitness, marksmanship, anti-sabotage measures, communications, and other close protection skills.
- Intelligence and Tours – Handles threat assessment, internal intelligence, and personnel verification.
- Administration – Manages human resources, finance, procurement, and related administrative matters.
Emolument, accommodation and perquisites
The Director of SPG holds the rank of Director General of Police (DGP) to the Government of India. The post is accompanied by:
- Official residence.
- Security cover as per central government rules.
- Eligibility for a diplomatic or official passport for foreign travel.
- Salary as per Pay Level 17 of the 7th Pay Commission.[6]
| Base Salary (Per month) | Pay Matrix Level |
|---|---|
| ₹225,000 (US$2,700)[7] | Pay Level 17 |
List of Directors of SPG
| No. | Name | Took office | Left office | Prime Minister |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | S. Subramanian | 1985 | 1986 | Rajiv Gandhi |
| 2 | Devendra Singh | 1986 | 1990 | Rajiv Gandhi |
| 3 | Trinath Mishra | 1990 | 1993 | V. P. Singh Chandra Shekhar P. V. Narasimha Rao |
| 4 | S. N. Tiwari | 1993 | 1994 | P. V. Narasimha Rao |
| 5 | Shyamal Datta | 1994 | 1997 | P. V. Narasimha Rao Atal Bihari Vajpayee H. D. Deve Gowda I. K. Gujral |
| 6 | M. R. Reddy | 1997 | 2000 | I. K. Gujral Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 7 | T. K. Mitra | 2000 | 2002 | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 8 | R. K. Das | 2002 | 2004 | |
| 9 | B. V. Wanchoo | 2004 | 2011 | Manmohan Singh |
| 10 | K. Durga Prasad | 2011 | 2014 | |
| 11 | Vivek Srivastava | 2014 | 2016 | Narendra Modi |
| 12 | Arun Kumar Sinha | 2016 | 2023 | |
| 13 | Alok Sharma | 2023 | Incumbent |
