Security categories in India: At some point, you may have encountered the terms "X," "Y," "Z," and "Z plus" security, on the news. These are simply levels of protection provided to certain individuals to shield them from anti-social elements. Each category corresponds to the number of personnel assigned to safeguard the individual, with personnel generally drawn from the NSG, SPG, CRPF, and ITBP. The breakdown of the personnel assigned to each security category is as follows: X provides a two-person security cover, Y provides an eleven-person cover, Z provides a twenty-two-person cover, and Z+ provides a fifty-five-person cover.
In case you're curious, only the commandos accompany VIPs for high-level security categories like Z plus, Z, and Y. The civil police officers assigned to the entourage are rotated frequently, depending on the state that the VIP is visiting. While the NSG, CRPF, and ITBP are all employed for varying security requirements, the NSG and SPG are reserved for critical security situations. Keep in mind that the SPG is the most costly security detail in India and provides the highest level of protection to the country's most vulnerable dignitaries.
Generally speaking, there are four different kinds of security details, as you are already aware. These are all supplied by the central government. The Center gives VIPs, VVIPs, actors, entertainers, and even athletes a specific security detail after evaluating the threat levels.
Z Plus Security is the highest level of protection available in India, designed to safeguard the most powerful, yet the most vulnerable citizens. Some also receive an additional layer of protection known as the SPG or Special Protection Group. This additional security measure was introduced after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984. Typically, only the Prime Minister and their family members are given SPG protection. The Z Plus security team includes a total of 55 people, with 10 of them being NSG commandos who are highly trained in unarmed combat and martial arts. The remaining personnel may be civil police officers. In addition to the Prime Minister, other high-ranking BJP ministers such as Amit Shah and Yogi Adityanath have also been offered this level of protection.
If an individual receives Z security, they are being protected by a group of 22 personnel. This entourage is comprised of civil police personnel and a minimum of 4 to 5 National Security Guards (NSGs). Even members of the Delhi Police, Indo-Tibetan Police, and CRPF have been assigned Z security. An escort car is also provided for added security. Celebrities and public figures such as Baba Ramdev and actor Aamir Khan have been granted Z-level security in the past.
In the hierarchy of security details, Y-level security falls in the middle, below Z and Z+ security. It is a team of 11 people that includes at least 1-2 NSG commandos, as well as state civil police, depending on the location of the individual. Two PSOs are also included in the Y security team. In the past, several politicians and celebrities have been provided with this level of security, including director Vivek Agnihotri and actress Kangana Ranaut, who was concerned about the Mumbai Police's negligence in the case of actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Her request for Y-level security was approved just two days before she left her home in Himachal to return to Mumbai.
India's X security level, while the least critical, is still an important security detail that is available to citizens across the country, not just dignitaries or celebrities. This level provides a two-person crew of armed civil police officers, and the two PSOs assigned to the individual rotate, with six PSOs working in eight-hour shifts. It's important to note that X Security does not include any commandos.