India will help France strengthen its security during the Paris Olympics 2024. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) held discussions with their French counterparts to chart out plans to send delegations to Paris ahead of the mega sports event. Teams of counter-terror and homeland security will be sent to the city to provide expertise on ways to secure the event.
The Olympic Games are scheduled to be held in the French City of Paris commencing from July 26, 2024 till August 11, 2024.
India will help France handle terrorism and extremism that the country has been witnessing in the recent past and is being seen as a potential threat during the Olympics which will be seen the participation of athletes and other high-profile individuals from across the world. According to the report from an Indian media agency, India will be part of an international contingent of like-minded countries to provide security expertise during sporting event.
Officials from the MHA said, “India has unearthed several Islamic State (ISIS) and Al-Qaeda in the Indian subcontinent modules across India with their international linkages. The elite National Security Guards (NSG) along with other Central Armed Polce Forces (CAPF) successfully conducted G-20 events in the national capital. France, on the other hand has witnessed a string of terrorist attacks since 2020 most notably the Paris Stabbing Attack in September and beheading of Samuel Paty in October 2020.
Meanwhile, France has also reached out to its allies and has asked them to send several thousand members of their security forces to help secure the Paris Olympics. “Several foreign nations to reinforce is in certain areas such as dog handling capabilities where the needs are enormous, an official from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on condition of anonymity.
While it is not clear how many countries have agreed to send their security forces to the city Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw-Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed his country was joining an international coalition established by France. An official from the French interior ministry said separately that Paris asked its 46 allies to send 2,185 security personnel and police reinforcements.
Meanwhile French government figures suggest that 45,000 French police and gendarmes are set to be deployed each day during the Olympics, while 18000 troops are also to be expected to be mobilised. Another 18,000 to 22,000 private security guards will be on the grounds for the games which will run from July 26 to August 11.
In an interview with an international media agency Paris Olympics Tony Estanguet said that the Games will be protected by an unprecedented security operation and preparations are going to be in good shape.
