Words of war: Nuclear football and myth of black SPG briefcase
It's a sight that sparks a lot of speculation—the black briefcase carried by Special Protection Group (SPG) officers guarding India's Prime Minister. Some claim it holds India's nuclear launch codes, a mobile command system that would allow the PM to initiate a nuclear strike from virtually anywhere.But the truth is a bit less dramatic—and still pretty fascinating.That briefcase isn't a nuclear trigger. It's actually a folding ballistic shield, a critical piece of portable defence equipment. When unstrapped and deployed, it unfolds into a full-length, bulletproof barrier designed to protect the Prime Minister in the event of a close-range attack. Used by elite close protection teams like the SPG, the shield provides an immediate protective wall if gunfire breaks out, helping bodyguards to respond and evacuate the protectee.advertisementSO, WHERE DID THE NUCLEAR BRIEFCASE MYTH COME FROM?
The idea likely originates from the United States, where the President is always accompanied by a military aide carrying a large black case known as the Presidential Emergency Satchel, more popularly called the nuclear football. This highly classified device is believed to contain the means for the US President to communicate with military leadership and authorize a nuclear launch in a crisis.While India's Prime Minister undoubtedly has secure protocols for contacting the country's nuclear command, the SPG's black briefcase is not part of that system.In reality, it's not a trigger—it's a shield.
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