Ten specially trained Indian CAPF and special commando force dogs are in France to provide counter-terrorist and anti-sabotage security cover at various venues of the Paris Olympics starting next week.
The ten Indian K9 (canine) teams will undertake sniffing and patrolling duties at various Olympic venues.
The K9 team has undergone a special 10-week training program in a first-ever collaboration between the canine squads of the Indian and French governments.
The teams, along with their handlers, are drawn from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) such as the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), as well as the federal contingency commando force National Security Guard (NSG) and the Assam Rifles.
The dogs are from the Belgian Malinois breed, known for their work in infantry patrols and anti-sabotage sniffer tasks to detect bombs, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and troublemakers in various internal security theatres, including anti-Naxal and counter-terrorist operations.
The handlers of these ten canine teams have undergone refresher physical training and a special capsule on the basics of the French language for their Olympic tasks.
The squad includes five-year-old CRPF canine Vast and three-year-old Denby. They were chosen for this task after stringent tests conducted at the CRPF dog breeding and training school in Taralu, near Bengaluru, Karnataka.
The Belgian Malinois breed is considered the most preferred combat dog by security forces worldwide. These dogs can detect suspicious human presence and IEDs with precision and are intelligent enough to communicate signals through a nod of their head rather than barking, which could alert the target.
The Indian dog teams will be deployed as per the requirements of the French Police and security agencies as part of the security cooperation between the two countries.
The handlers will wear their regular combat uniforms with a special patch of the Indian flag on their chest and another on their shoulder, provided to the security agencies deployed for the mega event.
According to international media reports, France is deploying around 30,000 police officers each day for the Olympics, which will be held between July 26 and August 11, with a peak of 45,000 for the opening ceremony on the Seine River.
About 18,000 members of the military are also helping ensure security, including thousands housed in a huge, special camp erected on the edge of Paris.
India will be represented by 117 athletes at the Olympics, along with 140 support staff and officials.