They are as swift as larks, agile as mountain goats and alert as napping dogs. From a deep slumber, they can spring to life all in a wink of an eye, battle-ready with all weapons cocked. They are India’s new SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics) team and an all-women one to boot. But above all, they are from the North East, belonging to Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Mizoram. The women, who broke the traditional male stronghold to enter the SWAT team, were formally inducted on August 10. In all, 36 of them and they are touted to be the first all-women SWAT team in the world. They were trained by the National Security Guard for anti-terrorism duty under the Delhi Police's Special Cell and will be on guard against terrorists in the national capital.

“All Women SWAT Commando unit is an expert in unarmed combat, ambush & counter ambush, urban operations with knowledge of explosives, improvised explosive devices, and assault weapons,” the Delhi Police had said in a statement on Twitter. In a macho world, these women commandos are equipped with AK-47 rifles, MP5 machine guns, Glock 17 or 26 pistols and corner shot devices for enhanced night vision. The commandos are also trained in Krav Maga, which is a self-defence system developed for the Israel Defence Forces. 

After more than a year of being put through their paces - learning to scale buildings, defuse bombs and rescue hostages - India's first all-female commando team started work on Friday, breaking a traditionally male bastion. They will work alongside about five all-male commando teams in Delhi, to begin with. What is commendable is the fact that these women were selected from the hot-spots of North East where insurgency, social tensions and non-development ate into the very vitals of society. Today, they are not only the pride of the nation and the North East but also are the envy of our neighbours. In days to come, we are sure they will bring more glory to the nation and the region setting new hallmarks in women empowerment.