Strategic Forces Command:
The new generation ballistic missile Agni-Prime was successfully flight-tested by the SFC along with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) recently
- Strategic Forces Command (SFC) sometimes called Strategic Nuclear Command, forms part of India’s Nuclear Command Authority (NCA), which is responsible for command-and-control decisions regarding India’s nuclear weapons programme.
- It is responsible for the management and administration of the country’s tactical and strategic nuclear weapons stockpile. It was created in 2003.
- It is the responsibility of the SFC to operationalize the orders of the NCA under the leadership of a Commander-in-Chief who is a Senior Officer.
- It has the sole responsibility of initiating the process of delivering nuclear weapons and warheads after acquiring clear approval from the NCA.
- 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.
- It manages and administers all strategic forces by exercising complete command and control over nuclear assets and producing all contingency plans as needed to fulfill the required tasks.
- Since its inception, the SFC’s command, control and communication systems have been firmly established and the command has attained a high state of operational readiness.
- It consists of officers and personnel of the Indian Army, Indian Air Force (IAF), and Indian Navy who are deputed from their respective services.
- The Commander-in-Chief, a 3-star General, is appointed on a rotational basis from the three services.
