Image for representational purpose only. (Photo credit: PTI)
New Delhi: The Strategic Forces Command (SFC), which is also known as Strategic Nuclear Command, is a part of India’s Nuclear Command Authority (NCA), that is responsible for command, control and making operational decisions regarding the country’s nuclear weapons. It was constituted by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government in 2003, with Air Marshal Teja Mohan Asthana as its first commander-in-chief. It is the responsibility of the Strategic Forces Command to take care of the country’s tactical and strategic nuclear weapon stockpile.
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The key responsibility of SFC
The Strategic Forces Command is responsible for operationalizing the directives of the NCA under the guidance of a Commander-in-Chief, who is a three-star rank officer. After getting explicit approval from the NCA, it is the sole duty of the NCA to initiate the procedure for nuclear weapons and warheads. Moreover, the final target selection is also done by the SFC through a calibrated, cumulative process involving various levels of decision-making, including formal approval from the NCA.
With complete command and control over nuclear assets, the SFC manages and administers all strategic forces. It prepares full proof plans to meet the requirements of the tasks. Since its beginning, the control, command and communication systems have been securely established and the command has attained a high state of operational readiness.
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Why is it in news?
The SFC unit became the headlines after President Draupadi Murmu terminated the service of an Army Major for breaching security protocol. The major was posted with the Strategic Forces Command at the time of his suspension last year. According to the Army inquiry conducted earlier, the major was involved in several activities that comprised national security.
The President made the decision by exercising powers conferred by Section 18 of the Army Act, 1950, read with Article 310 of the Constitution and all other powers enabling in this behalf. While the orders were issued by the President on September 15, they were promulgated earlier this month at the Strategic Forces Command Unit, where the Major was posted.
The Army investigation into the matter had been carried out since March 2022, when a board of officers was constituted to investigate matters relating to the compromise of national security by the major.
