158-879: The Marine Commando Force (MCF) , abbreviated to MARCOS , are the special forces of the Indian Navy . The MARCOS were originally named Indian Marine Special Force, which was later changed to Marine Commando Force to impart "an element of individuality" to it, according to the Indian Navy. The abbreviation 'MARCOS' was coined afterwards. The MARCOS were founded in February 1987. MARCOS are capable of operating in all types of environments; at sea, in air and on land. The force has gradually acquired more experience and an international reputation for professionalism. The MARCOS regularly undertake specialised maritime operations in Jammu and Kashmir through
316-641: A mayor . For administrative purposes, the city is divided into 74 wards , from which the members of the corporation council are elected for five years. Earlier; Fort Kochi , Mattancherry and Ernakulam were the three Municipalities in Cochin area, which was later merged to form the Cochin Corporation. The corporation has its headquarters in Ernakulam, and zonal offices at Fort Kochi , Mattancherry, Palluruthy , Edappally and Pachalam . The general administration of
474-489: A city with one of the largest Christian populations in India. The majority of the city's residents are Malayalis . However, there are significant ethnic minority communities including Tamils , Gujaratis , Jews , Anglo-Indians , Sikhs and Konkanis Malayalam is the main language of communication and medium of instruction for primary education, although a number of schools do offer English medium education. The higher education
632-607: A closer transcription of its original Malayalam name, Kochi , in 1996. This change in name was challenged by the city municipal corporation, but the court later dismissed the plea. Muziris , a port somewhere north of Kochi (mostly identified with Kodungallur in Thrissur district ), was the centre of Indian spice trade for many centuries, and was known to the Arabs , Yavanas ( Greeks and Romans ) as well as Jews , Syrians, and Chinese since ancient times . Kochi rose to significance as
790-480: A coastline of 48 km. The eastern part of Kochi is mainly known as Ernakulam , while the western part of it after the Venduruthy Bridge is called as Western Kochi. The current metropolitan limits of Kochi include the mainland Ernakulam, Fort Kochi , the suburbs of Edapally , Kalamassery , Aluva and Kakkanad to the northeast; Tripunithura to the southeast; and a group of islands closely scattered in
948-401: A construction and realty boom in the city. Over the years, Kochi has witnessed rapid commercialisation, and has today grown into the commercial hub of Kerala. Kochi is located on the southwest coast of India at 9°58′N 76°13′E / 9.967°N 76.217°E / 9.967; 76.217 , with a corporation limit area of 94.88 km (36.63 sq mi). Over the years,
1106-624: A crime rate of 1,897.8 compared to the 424.1 in whole Kerala. However, the city police commissioner defended that in major crimes such as murders and kidnapping, the city registered a low crime rate even behind other cities in the state. Kochi is part of the Ernakulam Lok Sabha constituency in Indian Parliament . The current elected Member of Parliament representing the constituency is Hibi Eden of Indian National Congress . The Ernakulam Lok Sabha constituency elects seven members to
1264-433: A digitally-networked battlefield", whereas the "indirect approach includes empowering host nation forces, providing appropriate assistance to humanitarian agencies, and engaging key populations." Elements of national power must be deployed in concert without over-reliance on a single capability, such as special forces, that leaves the entire force unprepared and hollow across the spectrum of military operations. Throughout
1422-627: A maritime environment, conducting raids and reconnaissance, and counter-terrorism operations. Three volunteer officers from the diving unit, which was created in 1955, were selected and underwent training courses with the United States Navy SEALs at Coronado . They later went on training exchanges with the Special Boat Service . In February 1987, the Indian Marine Special Force (IMSF) officially came into existence and
1580-663: A meeting with the C-in-C Middle East, General Claude Auchinleck , his plan was endorsed by the Army High Command. The force initially consisted of five officers and 60 other ranks . Following extensive training at Kabrit camp , by the River Nile , L Detachment, SAS Brigade, undertook its first operations in the Western Desert . Stirling's vision was eventually vindicated after a series of successful operations. In 1942,
1738-423: A newly opened SEBI office. Availability of electricity, fresh water, long coastline, backwaters, good banking facilities, presence of a major port, container trans-shipment terminal, harbour terminal and an international air terminal are some of the factors which accelerated the industrial growth in the city and its adjoining district. In recent years the city has witnessed heavy investment, thus making it one of
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#17328552489471896-648: A popular tourist destination among both domestic and international travellers. It has been hosting India's first art biennale, the Kochi-Muziris Biennale , since 2012, which attracts international artists and tourists. The Chinese fishing nets , introduced during the 14th century by the Chinese, are a symbol of the city and a popular tourist attraction in themselves. Other landmarks include Mattanchery Palace , Marine Drive , Venduruthy Bridge , Church of Saint Francis and Mattanchery Bridge . The city ranks first in
2054-531: A product of the Reagan administration under Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger . Admiral William H. McRaven , formerly the ninth commanding officer of USSOCOM (2011–2014), described two approaches to special forces operations in the 2012 posture statement to the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services : "the direct approach is characterized by technologically enabled small-unit precision lethality, focused intelligence , and inter-agency cooperation integrated on
2212-496: A project to build an industrial park named Electronic City spanning an area of 340 acres (140 ha), to cater to the electronic hardware industries. The private operator NeST is building a Special Economic Zone specifically for electronics hardware spanning an area of 30 acres (12 ha). The Cochin International Airport is in the process of setting up an aerotropolis at Nedumbassery . The air gateway to Kochi
2370-622: A proposal to General Sir John Dill , the Chief of the Imperial General Staff . Dill, aware of Churchill's intentions, approved Clarke's proposal and on 23 June 1940, the first Commando raid took place. By the autumn of 1940 more than 2,000 men had volunteered and in November 1940 these new units were organised into a Special Service Brigade consisting of four battalions under the command of Brigadier J. C. Haydon. The Special Service Brigade
2528-596: A result, the Kingdom of Tanur ( Vettathunadu ) became one of the earliest Portuguese Colonies in India. The ruler of Tanur also sided with Cochin . Many of the members of the royal family of Cochin in 16th and 17th centuries were selected from Vettom . However, the Tanur forces under the king fought for the Zamorin of Calicut in the Battle of Cochin (1504) . However, the allegiance of
2686-436: A sector commander of Mukti Bahini , planned to deploy a special commando team. The task assigned to the team was to carry out commando operations and to terrorize Dhaka . The major objective of this team was to prove that the situation was not actually normal. Moreover, Pakistan, at that time, was expecting economic aid from World Bank, which was assumed to be spent to buy arms. The plan was to make World Bank Mission understand
2844-507: A separate combat arm. The Macheteros de Jara was an auxiliary cavalry regiment that was organized since August 15, 1932, before the Battle of Boquerón began. The regiment was recruited from former outlaws from Paraguay who fought against Bolivian officers and soldiers. The 50th Infantry Regiment (Cuchilleros de la Muerte) was a Bolivian infantry regiment that fought in the Chaco War. Nicknamed
3002-675: A sharpshooter under the command of General Licerio Gerónimo , killed General Henry Ware Lawton of the United States Army , making the latter the highest ranking casualty during the course of the war. The German Stormtroopers and the Italian Arditi were the first modern shock troops. They were both elite assault units trained to a much higher level than that of average troops and tasked to carry out daring attacks and bold raids against enemy defenses. Unlike Stormtroopers, Arditi were not units within infantry divisions, but were considered
3160-520: A sight for the sniper, a laser rangefinder and a long-range thermal imager and near-IR laser pointer for a combat group to undertake surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting. The ICS would be compatible with assault rifles and close-quarter combat weapons. The Navy has recently started acquiring the Israeli IMI Tavor TAR-21 for the MARCOS. In 2013, Visakhapatnam -based Hindustan Shipyard won
3318-589: A specialised force, the MARCOS is responsible for conducting operations at the strategic and the tactical level. MARCO operations are usually conducted in support of naval forces, although MARCOS are also deployed in other domains. The responsibilities of MARCOS has evolved with time. Some of the duties of MARCOS include:- Additionally, MARCOS can also assist the Indian Air Force in Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD) missions. The MCF currently operates out of
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#17328552489473476-465: A standard infantry battalion , and it lacked any form of artillery , and had to rely on other units for logistical support. Its men were no longer parachute-trained, but relied on aircraft for transport. Some 750 men from the 2nd Raiding Brigade , of this group were assigned to attack American air bases on Luzon and Leyte on the night of 6 December 1944. They were flown in Ki-57 transports , but most of
3634-544: A swift response during a terrorist attack. The marine commandos undergo regular training sessions in this computer-generated programme to be well-prepared for a strike similar to the 26/11 attack. The average MARCOS training drop-out rate is more than 80%. The force has its own training facility as an adjunct to the operational company at INS Abhimanyu, Mumbai, later as the Naval Special Warfare Tactical Training Centre. For combat diving training,
3792-523: A trading centre after the port Muziris around Kodungallur (Cranganore) was destroyed by the massive flooding of Periyar in 1341. The earliest documented references to Kochi occur in books written by Chinese voyager Ma Huan during his visit to Kochi in the 15th century as part of Admiral Zheng He 's treasure fleet. There are also references to Kochi in accounts written by Italian traveller Niccolò Da Conti , who visited Kochi in 1440. The ruler of Perumpadappu (near Ponnani ) fled to Kodungallur in
3950-525: A water metro project. The Kochi Water Metro is the first water metro project in India and the first integrated water transport system of this size in Asia connects 10 islands of Kochi through a network of 15 routes that span 76 km and 38 jetties. Kochi has the highest population density in Kerala with 7139 people per km . As of 2011 , Kochi had a metropolitan area population of 2,117,990. The female-to-male ratio
4108-498: Is 1,028:1,000, significantly higher than the all-India average of 933:1,000. Kochi's literacy rate is 97.5%. The female literacy rate lags that of males by 1.1%, among the lowest such gaps in India. Kochi's major religions are Hinduism , Christianity and Islam . Jainism , Judaism , Sikhism and Buddhism , with smaller followings, are also practised in Kochi. Though 44% practice Hinduism, Christianity's large following (38%) makes Kochi
4266-617: Is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea . It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala . The city is also commonly referred to as Ernakulam . As of 2011, the Kochi Municipal Corporation had a population of 677,381 over an area of 94.88 km , and the larger Kochi urban agglomeration had over 2.1 million inhabitants within an area of 440 km , making it
4424-493: Is a part of the Western Naval Command . It was originally created in 1974 and was commissioned on 1 May 1980. The Indian Marine Special Force (IMSF) was located there in 1987. On 12 July 2016, the naval base INS Karna was commissioned near Visakhapatnam as the garrison & permanent base for the unit. The smallest unit of MARCOS is known as Prahar and consists of 8 commandoes. All MARCOS personnel are selected from
4582-747: Is also the Cochin Harbour Terminus providing rail connectivity to the southern segment of the Port of Kochi . The terminus is currently under renovation for the suburban rail networks in the city. The main rail transport system in Kochi is operated by the Southern Railway Zone of Indian Railways , and comes under Thiruvananthapuram Railway division . The South station is one of the busiest railway stations in South India, with more than 128 scheduled train services daily. The North station situated on
4740-639: Is another major road and connects the Cochin Seaport to the Cochin International Airport . The Infopark Expressway in Kakkanad is connected to the Seaport-Airport Road and stretches all the way to Infopark . Other major roads include Chittoor Road , Banerji Road , Shanmugham Road , Kochi Bypass , Kaloor-Kadavanthra Road , Park Avenue etc. A new ring road is proposed for Kochi city by
4898-637: Is located in Kochi. Kochi Refineries of (BPCL) at Ambalamugal is the largest state owned refinery in India. Petronet India has now almost completed Kochi LNG Terminal , for importing and storing natural gas, for energy and fueling needs. Central Government establishments like the Coconut Development Board , the Coir Board and the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) have head offices located in
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5056-479: Is one of the major contributors of the local economy. Ernakulam district , in which Kochi is situated, ranks first in the total number of domestic tourists visiting Kerala, and thus contributes to the economy of the city. The tourist enclave at Fort Kochi and presence of several historical monuments, museums etc. as well as natural attractions like the Vembanad lake and the backwaters attract large number of tourists to
5214-521: Is recognised as one of the seventeen major industrial cities of India by the World Bank Group. However, in the 2009 rankings of ease to start and operate a business, among the 17 Indian cities selected, Kochi was rated as the second most difficult city to start business and was ranked 16th, above Kolkata. As in most of Kerala, remittances from non-resident Indians (NRI)s is a major source of income. Eloor , situated 13 kilometres (8.1 miles) north of
5372-430: Is the Cochin International Airport (CIAL) located at Nedumbassery , which is about 28 km (17 mi) north of Kochi city, and handles both domestic and international flights. It is the first international airport in India to be built without Central Government funds and is the world's first fully solar energy powered airport. The Cochin airport provides direct connectivity to popular international destinations in
5530-715: Is the "death crawl"—an 800-metre (2,600 ft) struggle through thigh-high mud while loaded with 25 kg (55 lb) of gear and after a 2.5-kilometre (1.6-mile) obstacle course that most soldiers would fail. After that, when the trainee is exhausted and sleep-deprived, he must shoot a target 25 metres (82 ft)away, with a partner standing next to it. The MARCOS are trained in every kind of weapon and instruments, including knives, crossbows, sniper rifles, handguns, assault rifles, submachine guns and bare hands. Being divers, they can reach hostile shores swimming underwater. The further training includes: They are also trained to parachute into open water with full combat load. In 2013,
5688-482: Is the first in the world to operate solely on solar energy . Kochi was one of the 28 Indian cities among the emerging 440 global cities that will contribute 50% of the world GDP by 2025, in a 2011 study done by the McKinsey Global Institute. In July 2018, Kochi was ranked the topmost emerging future megacity in India by global professional services firm JLL . Kochi's rich cultural heritage has made it
5846-719: Is under second phase of construction. The terminal acts as a hub for long-distance bus services away from the city centre, and also a converging point for different modes of public transport, namely bus, metro and ferry. Kochi is one of the few cities to be granted the new-generation air-conditioned low-floor and non-air-conditioned semi-low-floor buses under the JNNURM city transport development project. KURTC and private buses operate frequent schedules to neighbouring areas of Nedumbassery , Perumbavoor , Aluva , Muvattupuzha , Kothamangalam , Cherthala and Poochakkal . Taxis and auto rickshaws (called autos ) are available for hire throughout
6004-708: The Barisha Raid in Syria of 2019. The U.S. invasion of Afghanistan involved special forces from several coalition nations, who played a major role in removing the Taliban from power in 2001–2002. Special forces have continued to play a role in combating the Taliban in subsequent operations. Kochi Kochi ( / ˈ k oʊ tʃ i / , Malayalam: [kotˈt͡ʃi] , ISO : Kōcci ), also known by its former name Cochin ( / ˈ k oʊ tʃ ɪ n / KOH -chin ),
6162-459: The Battle of Ilomantsi , Soviet supply lines were harassed to the point that the Soviet artillery was unable to exploit its massive numerical advantage over Finnish artillery. Their operations were also classified as secret because of the political sensitivity of such operations. Only authorized military historians could publish on their operations; individual soldiers were required to take the secrets to
6320-517: The Battle of Palembang , on Sumatra in the Netherlands East Indies , on 14 February 1942. The operation was well-planned, with 425 men of the 1st Parachute Raiding Regiment seizing Palembang airfield, while the paratroopers of the 2nd Parachute Raiding Regiment seized the town and its important oil refinery. Paratroops were subsequently deployed in the Burma campaign . The 1st Glider Tank Troop
6478-738: The Goshree Islands Development Authority (GIDA). Nicknamed the Queen of the Arabian Sea , Kochi was an important spice trading center on the west coast of India from antiquity. The port of Muziris traded with the Romans, Persians, Arabs, and Chinese. From 1503 to 1663, the Portuguese established Fort Kochi ( Fort Emmanuel ), before it was taken over by the Dutch in 1663. The Dutch then ceded
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6636-660: The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 as they were not adequately trained for sabotage missions. The combat divers had also taught basic underwater demolition training to insurgents from Bangladesh , who were then sent on missions during the war but did not cause any substantial damage to Pakistani military installations. The Indian Navy assisted the Indian Army in landing operations against the Pakistani military base in Cox's Bazar . After
6794-897: The Iranian Embassy siege (London), the Air France Flight 8969 ( Marseille ), Operation Defensive Shield , Operation Khukri , the Moscow theater hostage crisis , Operation Orchard , the Japanese Embassy hostage crisis ( Lima ), in Sri Lanka against the LTTE , the raid on Osama Bin Laden's compound in Pakistan, the 2016 Indian Line of Control strike the 2015 Indian counter-insurgency operation in Myanmar and
6952-717: The Jhelum River and Wular Lake , a 65 square kilometres (16,000 acres) freshwater lake, and conduct counter-insurgency operations in the region. Some MARCOS units are a part of the tri-services Armed Forces Special Operations Division . In 1955, the Indian military established a diving school at Cochin with the assistance of the British Special Boat Service and began teaching combat divers skills such as explosive disposal , clearance, and salvage diving . The combat divers failed to achieve their desired outcomes during
7110-490: The Köppen climate classification , Kochi features a tropical monsoon climate ( Am ). Kochi's proximity to the equator along with its coastal location results in little seasonal temperature variation, with moderate to high levels of humidity. Annual temperatures range between 23 and 31 °C (73 and 88 °F) with the record high being 36.5 °C (97.7 °F), and record low 16.3 °C (61.3 °F). From June to September,
7268-809: The Malabar region to Kochi forcing it to become a tributary of Mysore . The hereditary Prime Ministership of Kochi held by the Paliath Achans ended during this period. Meanwhile, the Dutch, fearing an outbreak of war on the United Provinces , signed the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814 with the United Kingdom, under which Kochi was ceded to the United Kingdom in exchange for the island of Bangka , east of Sumatra . However, there are evidences of English habitation in
7426-525: The Mappila merchants in Tanur region still stayed under the Zamorin of Calicut. Kochi hosted the grave of Vasco da Gama , the first European explorer to set sail for India, who was buried at St. Francis Church until his remains were returned to Portugal in 1539. The Portuguese rule was followed by that of the Dutch who renamed Fort Immanuel as Fort Stormsburg. In meantime, the Royal Family of Kochi relocated
7584-444: The Ming dynasty of China decided to intervene by granting special status to Kochi and its ruler known as Keyili (可亦里) to the Chinese. Calicut had been the dominant port-city in the region, but Kochi was emerging as its main rival. For the fifth Ming treasure voyage , Admiral Zheng He was instructed to confer a seal upon Keyili of Kochi and enfeoff a mountain in his kingdom as the Zhenguo Zhi Shan (鎮國之山, Mountain Which Protects
7742-453: The Napoleonic wars , rifle regiments and sapper units were formed that held specialised roles in reconnaissance and skirmishing and were not committed to the formal battle lines. Between the 17th and 18th centuries, there were wars between American colonists and Native American tribes. In Colonial America specialized Rangers formed and first mentioned by Capt. John Smith , in 1622. Learning frontier skills from friendly Native Americans
7900-505: The No. 8 (Guards) Commando (later named " Layforce "). After Layforce was disbanded, Stirling remained convinced that due to the mechanized nature of war a small team of highly trained soldiers with the advantage of surprise could exact greater damage to the enemy's ability to fight than an entire platoon. His idea was for small teams of parachute trained soldiers to operate behind enemy lines to gain intelligence, destroy enemy aircraft, and attack their supply and reinforcement routes. Following
8058-410: The Periyar River is handled by Kerala Water Authority with support of Water works department of Kochi Corporation. Electricity is provided by the Kerala State Electricity Board . The GCDA and GIDA are the government agencies initiating and monitoring the development of Greater Cochin area, mainly in developing infrastructure facilities for the city. Kochi is the seat of High Court of Kerala ,
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#17328552489478216-615: The State Water Transport Department and private firms from various boat jetties in the city. The junkar ferry for the transshipment of vehicles and passengers between the islands are operated between Ernakulam and Vypin , and between Vypin and Fort Kochi. However, with the construction of the Goshree bridges (which links Kochi's islands), ferry transport has become less essential. The main boat jetties are Ernakulam Main Boat Jetty near Park Avenue, High Court Jetty in Banerjee Road, Embarkation Jetty in Willingdon Island and Fort Kochi Jetty. In April 2023, Kochi became India's first city to have
8374-526: The United States , the term special forces often refers specifically to the U.S. Army Special Forces , while the term special operations forces is used more broadly for these types of units. Special forces capabilities include the following: Other capabilities can include close personal protection ; waterborne operations involving combat diving/combat swimming , maritime boarding and amphibious missions; as well as support of air force operations . Special forces have played an important role throughout
8532-478: The United States Army Rangers specialist soldier dates back to the 17th through 19th century from military units such as United States Mounted Rangers , United States Rangers and Texas Rangers . In WWII mid-1942, Major-General Lucian Truscott of the U.S. Army, a General Staff submitted a proposal to General George Marshall onceived under the guidance of then Army Chief of Staff, General George C. Marshall, that selectively trained Ranger soldiers were recruited for
8690-488: The Vembanad Lake . The state government and the GCDA have plans to include Mala and Kodungallur in Thrissur district, Angamaly , Perumbavoor , Piravom and Kolenchery in Ernakulam district, Thalayolaparambu and Vaikom in Kottayam and Cherthala in Alappuzha district within Kochi metropolitan limits. The newly formed metropolis would be put under the charge of a new authority called Kochi Metropolitan Regional Development Authority. However, The Hindu reported that
8848-404: The south-west monsoon brings in heavy rains as Kochi lies on the windward side of the Western Ghats . From October to December, Kochi receives lighter (yet significant) rain from the northeast monsoon, as it lies on the leeward side. Average annual rainfall is 3,014.9 mm (118.70 in), with an annual average of 124 rainy days. The city is governed by the Kochi Corporation , headed by
9006-416: The 19th-20th century until the modern formation of the Army Ranger Battalions in WWII. The British Indian Army deployed two special forces during their border wars: the Corps of Guides formed in 1846 and the Gurkha Scouts (a force that was formed in the 1890s and was first used as a detached unit during the 1897–1898 Tirah Campaign ). During the Second Boer War (1899–1902) the British Army felt
9164-422: The Allied lines by mis-directing convoys away from the front lines. A handful of his men were captured by the Americans and spread a rumor that Skorzeny was leading a raid on Paris to kill or capture General Dwight Eisenhower . Although this was untrue, Eisenhower was confined to his headquarters for several days and Skorzeny was labelled "the most dangerous man in Europe". In Italy , the Decima Flottiglia MAS
9322-430: The American colonies, including Knowlton's Rangers , an elite corps of Rangers who supplied reconnaissance and espionage for George Washington 's Continental Army. Daniel Morgan , was known as leader of The Corps of Rangers for the Continental Army . Rogers' Rangers on Roger's Island, in modern-day Fort Edward, New York, is regarded as the "spiritual home" of the United States Special Operations Forces , specifically
9480-404: The Australians also raised the Z Special Unit and M Special Unit . M Special Unit was largely employed in an intelligence-gathering role, while Z Special Force undertook direct action missions. One of its most notable actions came as part of Operation Jaywick , in which several Japanese ships were sunk in Singapore Harbour in 1943. A second raid on Singapore in 1944, known as Operation Rimau ,
9638-529: The British Special Forces, with the curricula differing according to each soldier's specialization. Their task, on deployment to Poland, was to sustain the structures of the Polish state, training the members of the Resistance in fighting the German occupant. This included taking part in the Warsaw Uprising . Following advice from the British, Australia began raising special forces. The first units to be formed were independent companies , which began training at Wilson's Promontory in Victoria in early 1941 under
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#17328552489479796-612: The Chindits and took part in similar operations in Burma. In late November 1943, the Alamo Scouts (Sixth Army Special Reconnaissance Unit) were formed to conduct reconnaissance and raider work in the Southwest Pacific Theater under the personal command of then Lt. General Walter Krueger , Commanding General, Sixth U.S. Army. Krueger envisioned that the Alamo Scouts, consisting of small teams of highly trained volunteers, would operate deep behind enemy lines to provide intelligence-gathering and tactical reconnaissance in advance of Sixth U.S. Army landing operations. In 1983, nearly 40 years after
9954-436: The Commando training depot at Achnacarry in the Scottish Highlands was established by Brigadier Charles Haydon. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Vaughan, the Commando depot was responsible for training complete units and individual replacements. The training regime was for the time innovative and physically demanding, and far in advance of normal British Army training. The depot staff were all hand picked, with
10112-400: The Commandos served in all theatres of war from the Arctic Circle to Europe and from the Mediterranean and Middle East to South-East Asia . Their operations ranged from small groups of men landing from the sea or by parachute to a brigade of assault troops spearheading the Allied invasions of Europe and Asia. The first modern special forces units were established by men who had served with
10270-490: The Commandos, including the Parachute Regiment , Special Air Service , and Special Boat Service . The No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando organised by British of volunteers from occupied Europe led to French Commandos Marine , Dutch Korps Commandotroepen , Belgian Paracommando Brigade . The first modern special forces unit was the Special Air Service (SAS), formed in July 1941 from an unorthodox idea and plan by Lieutenant David Stirling . In June 1940 he volunteered for
10428-455: The Country). Zheng He delivered a stone tablet, inscribed with a proclamation composed by the Yongle Emperor himself, to Kochi. As long as Kochi remained under the protection of Ming China, the Zamorin of Calicut was unable to invade Kochi and a military conflict was averted. The cessation of the Ming treasure voyages consequently had negative results for Kochi, as the Zamorin of Calicut would eventually launch an invasion against Kochi. In
10586-529: The Home Ministry of Government of Kerala . An anti-corruption branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation also operates out of the city. CISF maintains 3 squadrons for providing security to various central and state heavy industries, airport and seaport zones. Other major central agencies are NIA , DRI and Indian Customs due to the presence of major port. According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Kochi reported significant increase of 193.7 per cent IPC crimes in 2010 compared to 2009, and reported
10744-612: The Indian Navy when they are in their early 20s and have to go through a stringent selection process and training. The selection standards are extremely high. Training is a continuous process. American and British special forces assisted in setting up the initial training program, which now consists of a seven and a half to eight months course for new recruits. The training regimen includes airborne operations, combat diving courses, counter-terrorism, anti-hijacking, anti-piracy operations, direct action, infiltration and exfiltration tactics, special reconnaissance and unconventional warfare . Most of
10902-606: The Indian Navy will procure an advanced Integrated Combat System (ICS) that will ensure an effective command, control and information-sharing structure to enhance the MARCOS' capabilities while engaging targets. The ICS will provide enhanced capabilities such as tactical awareness and the ability to fight in hostile environments, and can enable Group Commanders to remotely monitor and control operations. It will help integrate an individual sailor's capability of surveillance, ballistic protection, communication and firepower through an integrated network at individual and group level. Initiating
11060-452: The Junior Leaders' Commando Training Camp in Belgaum, Karnataka, the Parvat Ghatak School for high altitude mountain warfare in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh , desert warfare school in Rajasthan , the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) in Sonamarg , Kashmir, and the Counter-insurgency and Jungle Warfare School (CIJWS) in Vairengte , Mizoram. These schools routinely host students from other countries. MARCOS are then trained at agencies within
11218-483: The Knives of Death (Spanish: Cuchillos de la Muerte), the regiment relied almost exclusively on the use of blade weapons, particularly bayonets. Modern special forces emerged during the Second World War . In 1940, the British Commandos were formed following Winston Churchill 's call for "specially trained troops of the hunter class, who can develop a reign of terror down the enemy coast." A staff officer , Lieutenant Colonel Dudley Clarke , had already submitted such
11376-611: The MARCOS introduced a larger duck-drop system that will be fitted on Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft. Each system of two boats can accommodate 32 commandos, their weapons and fuel for the boats. Once para-dropped from the aircraft, it allows for the commandos to assemble inflatable motorised boats within ten minutes and quickly reach ships in distress. Such rescue missions can be mounted by the commandos deployed within an hour. The MARCOS are also preparing for urban warfare and have begun practicing on 3D virtual models of offshore installations to ensure
11534-512: The Middle East, Malaysia , Thailand and Singapore and to most major Indian cities apart from tourist destinations like Lakshadweep . Kochi is also the headquarters of the Air India Express service. With a terminal area of 840,000 sq ft (78,000 m ), and a passenger capacity of 2200 (international and domestic), it is the largest and busiest airport in the state. It is also
11692-496: The OSS. On February 16, 1942, the U.S. Marine Corps activated a battalion of Marines with the specific purpose of securing beach heads, and other special operations. The battalion became the first modern special operations force of the U.S. The battalion became known as Marine Raiders due to Admiral Chester Nimitz 's request for "raiders" in the Pacific front of the war. The history of
11850-512: The Rajah of Cochin who gave a State Dinner in their honour at Ernakulam . By the 1870s, the capital of Kochi Kingdom was relocated again to Kochi Suburb of Tripunithura . In 1910, Ernakulam became the administrative capital of Kochi Kingdom with establishment of Royal Secretariat and State Durbar. The offices of the Diwan and High court were soon moved into Ernakulam. In 1925, Kochi legislative assembly
12008-609: The Rangers helped carry out offensive strikes " frontier combat " against hostile Natives. Thus Ranger companies were formed to provide reconnaissance, intelligence, light infantry, and scouting. Colonel Benjamin Church (c. 1639–1718) was the captain of the first Ranger force in America (1676). Many Colonial officers would take the philosophies of Benjamin Church's ranging and form their own Ranger units. Several Ranger companies were established in
12166-686: The SAS attacked Bouerat. Transported by the Long Range Desert Group (which carried out deep penetration, covert reconnaissance patrols, intelligence missions and attacks behind the enemy lines from 1940), they caused severe damage to the harbour, petrol tanks and storage facilities. This was followed up in March by a raid on Benghazi harbour with limited success but they did damage to 15 aircraft at Al-Berka . The June 1942 Crete airfield raids at Heraklion , Kasteli , Tympaki and Maleme significant damage
12324-590: The United States Army Rangers. These early American light infantry battalions were trained under Robert Rogers' 28 "Rules of Ranging" , which is considered the first known manual of modern asymmetric warfare tactics used in modern special operations. Various military Ranger units such as the United States Mounted Rangers , United States Rangers , Loudoun Rangers , 43rd Virginia Rangers , and Texas Military Rangers continued throughout
12482-579: The ability to outperform any of the volunteers. Training and assessment started immediately on arrival, with the volunteers having to complete an 8-mile (13 km) march with all their equipment from the Spean Bridge railway station to the commando depot. Exercises were conducted using live ammunition and explosives to make training as realistic as possible. Physical fitness was a prerequisite, with cross country runs and boxing matches to improve fitness. Speed and endurance marches were conducted up and down
12640-619: The air. Special forces have been used in both wartime and peacetime military operations such as the Laotian Civil War , Bangladesh Liberation War-1971 , Vietnam War , Portuguese Colonial War , South African Border War , Falklands War , The Troubles in Northern Ireland, the Jaffna University Helidrop , the first and second Gulf Wars, Afghanistan, Croatia , Kosovo , Bosnia , the first and second Chechen Wars ,
12798-707: The aircraft were shot down. Some 300 commandos managed to land in the Burauen area on Leyte. The force destroyed some planes and inflicted numerous casualties, before they were annihilated. During World War II, the Finnish Army and Border Guard organized sissi forces into a long-range reconnaissance patrol ( kaukopartio ) units. These were open only to volunteers and operated far behind enemy lines in small teams. They conducted both intelligence-gathering missions and raids on e.g. enemy supply depots or other strategic targets. They were generally highly effective. For example, during
12956-499: The area to the United Kingdom. Kochi remained under the control of the Kingdom of Cochin , which became a princely state of the British . Today, Kochi has been described as the financial , commercial and industrial capital of Kerala. Kochi is the only city in the country to have a water metro system , which has been described as the world's largest electric boat metro transportation infrastructure. The Cochin International Airport
13114-525: The best places to go in Asia in 2024. Ancient travellers and tradesmen referred to Kochi, variously alluding to it as Cocym , Cochym , Cochin , and Kochi . The Cochin Jewish community called Cochin Kogin ( Hebrew : קוגין ), which is seen in the seal of the synagogue owned by the community. The Arab merchants called this place Kashi , which is seen in the books such as Tuhfat Ul Mujahideen . The origin of
13272-467: The capital of Kochi Kingdom to Thrissur , leaving nominal authority over Islands of Kochi. In 1664, Fort Kochi Municipality was established by Dutch, making it the first municipality in Indian subcontinent, which got dissolved when Dutch authority got weaker in the 18th century. The remaining part of Kochi were governed by governors of Kochi Kingdom. By 1773, the Mysore ruler Hyder Ali extended his conquest in
13430-468: The central part of the city. It has a wide range of mangrove species and is a nesting ground for a vast variety of migratory birds. Kochi's water needs are entirely dependent on ground water and the two rivers flowing through the district viz., Periyar and Muvattupuzha . Periyar serves the entire northern part of the city whereas Muvattupuzha river under the JnNurm project covers the western part. Under
13588-413: The city has expanded considerably outside the corporation limit set in 1967, although the official city limits haven't been changed. The city straddles the backwaters, encompassing the northern end of a peninsula, several islands and a portion of the mainland. To the west lies the Laccadive Sea , and to the east is the urbanised region in the rest of the mainland area. Much of Kochi lies at sea level, with
13746-562: The city is a major exporter of spices and is home to the International Pepper Exchange , where black pepper is globally traded. The Spices Board of India and World Spice Organisation are headquartered in Kochi. The IT and ITES related industries are growing up in Kochi. Availability of cheap bandwidth through undersea cables and lower operational costs compared to other major cities in India, has been to its advantage. Various technology and industrial campuses including
13904-585: The city is handled by the Personnel Department and the Council Standing committee Section. Other departments include that of town planning , health, engineering, revenue and accounts. The corporation is also responsible for waste disposal and sewage management. The city produces more than 600 tons of waste per day and a large portion of waste is decomposed at Brahmapuram Solid Waste plant into organic manure. The supply of potable water , sourced from
14062-424: The city-centre, is the largest industrial belt in Kerala, with more than 250 factories manufacturing a range of products including chemical and petrochemical products, pesticides , rare earth elements , rubber processing chemicals, fertilisers , zinc and chromium compounds, and leather products. Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Limited (FACT), one of the oldest fertilizers and chemical industry in Kerala
14220-682: The city. Kalamassery which is situated around 16.5 km from the City Center is one of the major Industrial areas. Leading factories like FACT , HMT and IT/Biotechnology park like KINFRA Hi-Tech Park are located here. The Cochin University of Science and Technology is located at Kalamassery. Irimpanam is another major industrial area in Kochi. The Seaport-Airport Road (SPAP Road) passes through this place and oil giants like Indian Oil Corporation , Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum have plants here. Like elsewhere in Kerala, tourism
14378-417: The city. Kochi is served by National Highway 66 , National Highway 544 , National Highway 966A and National Highway 966B . Several state highways also connect Kochi with other parts of Kerala. SH 15, Ettumanoor-Ernakulam Road , connects the city to Kottayam , Pala , Kumily , Changanacherry , Pathanamthitta etc. SH 41, Palarivattom-Thekkady Road , provides a corridor to the eastern parts of
14536-437: The city. Presence of several leading hospitality brands have been a major source of employment for locals. The Kochi Port is one of the leading ports where international cruisers call on regularly. The city has the first marina facility in the country, Kochi Marina which attracts large number of yacht-totters. Real Estate industry is also one industry which is contributing a lot to the economy of Kochi. Many players have entered
14694-536: The command of the divisional cavalry regiments that were re-designated as cavalry commando regiments. As a part of this structure, a total of 11 commando squadrons were raised. They continued to act independently and were often assigned at brigade level during the later stages of the war, taking part in the fighting in New Guinea, Bougainville and Borneo , where they were employed largely in long-range reconnaissance and flank protection roles. In addition to these units,
14852-587: The commandos are sent to the Naval Diving School in Kochi. There are plans to move the Naval Special Warfare Tactical Training Centre to the erstwhile Naval Academy facility in Kerala, where it will focus on jungle warfare and counter-insurgency operations. The new facility will be modelled on the lines of CIJWS of the Indian Army in Mizoram. To strengthen the capabilities of MARCOS to carry out special operations,
15010-796: The contract for building four 500-tonne mini-submarines , which were designed by Larsen & Toubro . The mini-submarines, to be delivered in the latter half of the 2010s, will be used exclusively by the Indian Navy's MARCOS. As of 2023, the procurement of the midget submarines is still being planned by the Indian Navy. Pistol Sub-machine Gun Assault Rifle Sniper Rifle Light Machine Gun Special forces Special forces or special operations forces ( SOF ) are military units trained to conduct special operations . NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equipped forces using unconventional techniques and modes of employment". Special forces emerged in
15168-457: The day. Development of road infrastructure not keeping pace with the increase in traffic is a major problem faced by Kochi, like most other parts of Kerala. The city has four major railway stations – Ernakulam Junction , Ernakulam Town (locally known as the South and North railway stations respectively), Aluva , and Tripunithura followed by smaller stations, Edapally and Kalamassery. There
15326-523: The district. SH 63, Vypeen Pallipuram Road and SH 66, Alappuzha – Thoppumpady road are coastal roads that serve the narrow sliver of land between the backwaters and the sea. The main arterial roads of the city are the Mahatma Gandhi Road and Sahodaran Ayyappan Road in Ernakulam, constructed in 1925 & 1962 respectively which runs parallel & perpendicular to the coast and having the proposed Metro Rail connectivity. The Seaport-Airport Road
15484-671: The early 20th century, with a significant growth in the field during World War II , when "every major army involved in the fighting" created formations devoted to special operations behind enemy lines. Depending on the country, special forces may perform functions including airborne operations , counter-insurgency , counter-terrorism , foreign internal defense , covert ops , direct action , hostage rescue , high-value targets / manhunt , intelligence operations , mobility operations , and unconventional warfare . In Russian-speaking countries, special forces of any country are typically called spetsnaz , an acronym for "special purpose". In
15642-506: The early medieval period, when the Zamorin of Calicut annexed Ponnani region, after Tirunavaya war. They later moved to Kochi and established the Kingdom of Cochin . When Vasco Da Gama landed at Kozhikode and the Zamorin of Calicut fought against the Portuguese with Kunjali Marakkar , the ruler of Cochin aligned with the Portuguese. On the Malabar coast during the early 15th century, Calicut and Kochi were in an intense rivalry, so
15800-837: The end of World War II, the US Army created the Special Forces Tab . It was later decided that personnel with at least 120 days' wartime service prior to 1955 in certain units, including the Devil's Brigade, the Alamo Scouts and the OSS Operational Groups, would receive the Tab for their services in World War ;II, placing them all in the lineage of today's U.S. and Canadian (via Devil's Brigade) Special Forces. The Axis powers did not adopt
15958-420: The erstwhile Travancore-Kochi-Malabar regions. A major portion of the district is from the Kochi kingdom. The city's economic growth gathered momentum after economic reforms in India introduced by the central government in the early 1990s. Since 2000, the service sector has energised the city's economy. The establishment of several industrial parks based on IT and other port based infrastructure triggered
16116-539: The establishment of the state of Kerala, the Kochi Municipal Corporation came into existence. The merger leading to the establishment of the corporation, was between the municipalities of Ernakulam, Mattancherry and Fort Kochi , along with that of the Willingdon Island , four panchayats ( Palluruthy , Vennala , Vyttila and Edappally ), and the small islands of Gundu and Ramanthuruth . The Kochi and Ernakulam districts formed on 1 April 1958 carving areas of
16274-609: The fastest-growing second-tier metro cities in India. Sales tax income generated in the Kochi metropolitan area contributes heavily to state revenue. The district contributes 15.1% of the state GDP. Construction and manufacturing industries combined contributes 37% of the district's total GDP, and trade, tourism and hospitality industries together provides another 20%. Major business sectors include construction, manufacturing, shipbuilding , transportation/shipping, seafood and spices exports, chemical industries, information technology (IT), tourism, health services , and banking. Kochi
16432-676: The first European settlement in India at Kochi in 1500. From 1503 to 1663, Fort Kochi ( Fort Emmanuel ) was ruled by Portugal . This Portuguese period was a harrowing time for the Saint Thomas Christians , Muslim Mappilas , and the Jews , as the Inquisition was active in Portuguese India . The ruler of the Kingdom of Tanur , who was a vassal to the Zamorin of Calicut, sided with the Portuguese, against his overlord at Kozhikode . As
16590-528: The fourth busiest airport in India in terms of international passenger traffic, and seventh busiest overall. Kochi is well connected to neighbouring cities and states via several highways. It is a node in the North-South Corridor of the National Highway system. The road infrastructure in Kochi has not been able to meet the growing traffic demand and hence traffic congestion is a major problem in
16748-661: The government promoted InfoPark , Cochin Special Economic Zone and KINFRA Export Promotion Industrial Park operate in the outskirts of the city. Several new industrial campuses are under construction in the suburbs of the city. SmartCity at Kakkanad is one of the prominent projects. Cyber City at Kalamassery is another integrated IT township SEZ being planned in the private sector. Kochi has an established electronics hardware industry with companies such as V-Guard Industries, OEN India Limited, FCI OEN Connectors and SFO Technologies. The Government of Kerala has announced
16906-639: The grave. A famous LRRP commander was Lauri Törni , who later joined the U.S. Army to train U.S. personnel in special operations. In June 1971, during the Bangladesh Liberation War , the World Bank sent a mission to observe the situation in East Pakistan . The media cell of Pakistan's government was circulating the news that the situation in East Pakistan was stable and normal. Khaled Mosharraf ,
17064-572: The hazardous situation prevailing in East Pakistan and urged ending the military regime in East Pakistan. The Crack Platoon carried out several successful and important operations. The power supply in Dhaka was devastated which caused severe problems for the Pakistan Army and the military administration in Dhaka. Stemming from Resolution 598 , Operation Prime Chance was the first deployment of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) troops, which were
17222-527: The highest judicial body in the state of Kerala. The Kochi City Police is headed by a Police Commissioner , an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. The city is divided into five zones and each zone under a circle officer. Apart from regular law & order, the city police comprises the Traffic Police, Narcotics Cell, Riot horse, Armed Reserve Camps, District Crime Records Bureau and a Women's Police station . It operates 19 police stations functioning under
17380-732: The history of warfare, whenever the aim was to achieve disruption by "hit and run" and sabotage , rather than more traditional conventional combat. Other significant roles lay in reconnaissance , providing essential intelligence from near or among the enemy and increasingly in combating irregular forces, their infrastructure and activities. Chinese strategist Jiang Ziya , in his Six Secret Teachings , described recruiting talented and motivated men into specialized elite units with functions such as commanding heights and making rapid long-distance advances. Hamilcar Barca in Sicily (249 BC) had specialized troops trained to launch several offensives per day. In
17538-567: The known operations are: During Operation Rakshak, MARCOS have undertaken missions in which they have engaged and killed heavily armed militants. These operations have included close-quarters combat and intense gunfights. As of 2017, a team of 30 MARCOS personnel was permanently deployed in Wular Lake. MARCOS has also helped the Indian Army to eliminate militants from islands in the Jhelum River, where militants use plantations as hiding spots. As
17696-614: The largest and the most populous metropolitan area in Kerala. Kochi city is also part of the Greater Cochin development region and is classified as a Tier-II city by the Government of India . The civic body that governs the city is the Kochi Municipal Corporation , which was constituted in the year 1967, and the statutory bodies that oversee its development are the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) and
17854-572: The late 15th century, the Zamorin occupied Kochi and installed his representative as the king of the port-city. According to many historians, the precursor state to Kingdom of Kochi came into existence in the early 12th century, after the fall of the Chera Kingdom . The reign of the Kingdom was hereditary, and the family that ruled over the region was known as the Perumpadappu Swaroopam in
18012-994: The late Roman or early Byzantine period, Roman fleets used small, fast, camouflaged ships crewed by selected men for scouting and commando missions. In the Middle Ages , special forces trained to conduct special operations were employed in several occasions. An example of this were the special forces of Gerald the Fearless , a Portuguese warrior and folk hero of the Reconquista . Muslim forces also had naval special operations units, including one that used camouflaged ships to gather intelligence and launch raids and another of soldiers who could pass for Crusaders who would use ruses to board enemy ships and then capture and destroy them. In Japan , ninjas were used for reconnaissance , espionage and as assassins , bodyguards or fortress guards, or otherwise fought alongside conventional soldiers. During
18170-575: The latter half of the 20th century and into the 21st century, special forces have come to higher prominence, as governments have found objectives can sometimes be better achieved by a small team of anonymous specialists than a larger and much more politically controversial conventional deployment. In both Kosovo and Afghanistan , special forces were used to co-ordinate activities between local guerrilla fighters and air power . Typically, guerrilla fighters would engage enemy soldiers and tanks causing them to move, where they could be seen and attacked from
18328-505: The local vernacular. The port at Kozhikode held superior economic and political position in medieval Kerala coast, while Kannur , Kollam , and Kochi, were commercially important secondary ports, where the traders from various parts of the world would gather. The Portuguese arrived at Kappad Kozhikode in 1498 during the Age of Discovery , thus opening a direct sea route from Europe to India. Portuguese navigator, Pedro Álvares Cabral founded
18486-635: The loss of men who required such extensive and expensive training limited their operations to only the most critical ones. Two regiments of Teishin Shudan were formed into the 1st Raiding Group, commanded by Major General Rikichi Tsukada under the control of the Southern Expeditionary Army Group , during the Philippines campaign . Although structured as a division, its capabilities were much lower, as its six regiments had manpower equivalent to
18644-562: The market and have developed residential properties. Kochi is the headquarters of the Southern Naval Command , the primary training centre of the Indian Navy. The Cochin Shipyard , contributes to the economy of the city. The fishing harbour at Thoppumpady is a minor fishing port in the state and supplies fish to local and export markets. To further tap the potential of the all-season harbour at Kochi, an international cruise terminal
18802-627: The metro system will have 22 stations connecting the suburban towns of Aluva and Pettah while passing through downtown. The first half of the Phase-1 of Kochi Metro was inaugurated on 17 June 2017 by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi . Currently Kochi Metro is operational from Aluva till Maharaja's College along the Kalamassery – Edappally – Kaloor – MG Road stretch, covering a total of 18.4 km with 16 operational metro stations. Kochi ranks among India's major seaports, partly due to being one of
18960-523: The name Kochi is thought to be the Malayalam word kochu azhi , meaning 'small lagoon'. Accounts by Italian explorers Nicolo Conti (15th century), and Fra Paoline in the 17th century say that it was called Kochchi , named after the river connecting the backwaters to the sea. After the arrival of the Portuguese, and later the British, the name Cochin stuck as the official appellation. The city reverted to
19118-587: The naval bases at Mumbai , Visakhapatnam , Goa , Kochi and Port Blair . There are plans to shift the current training facility at the Naval Special Warfare Training and Tactical Centre to a new facility to be set up at the erstwhile Naval Academy in Goa . INS Abhimanyu, located in Mumbai, was the base where MARCOS was formed. It is named after Abhimanyu , a character from the epic Mahābhārata . The base
19276-484: The navy. The pre-training selection process is made up of two parts. Indian Navy personnel who want to join MARCOS must undergo a three-day physical fitness and aptitude test. Within this process, 80% of the applicants are screened out. A further screening process known as 'hell's week' is similar to the United States Navy SEALs ' " Hell Week ". This involves a high degree of physical exercise and sleep deprivation. After this process, actual training begins. Around 80-85% of
19434-400: The nearby mountain ranges and over assault courses that included a zip-line over Loch Arkaig , all while carrying arms and full equipment. Training continued by day and night with river crossings, mountain climbing, weapons training, unarmed combat , map reading, and small boat operations on the syllabus. Reaching a wartime strength of over 30 individual units and four assault brigades ,
19592-545: The need for more specialised units. Scouting units such as the Lovat Scouts , a Scottish Highland regiment made up of exceptional woodsmen outfitted in ghillie suits and well practised in the arts of marksmanship , field craft , and military tactics filled this role. This unit was formed in 1900 by Lord Lovat and early on reported to an American, Major Frederick Russell Burnham , the Chief of Scouts under Lord Roberts . After
19750-559: The newly established special operations Army Ranger Battalion . The United States and Canada formed the 1st Special Service Force as a sabotage ski brigade for operations in Norway. Later known as the "Devil's Brigade" (and called "The Black Devils" by mystified German soldiers), the First Special Service Force was dispatched to the occupied Aleutian Islands, Italy and Southern France. Merrill's Marauders were modeled on
19908-544: The newly reclaimed inner harbour equipped with a long array of steam cranes. In 1947, when India gained independence from the British colonial rule , Cochin was the first princely state to join India willingly. In 1949, Travancore–Cochin state came into being with the merger of Cochin and Travancore . The King of Travancore was the Rajpramukh of the Travancore–Cochin Union from 1949 to 1956. Travancore-Cochin,
20066-469: The northern side of the city, caters mostly to long-distance services that bypass the South station, and also is an additional halt station for many trains. There is also a historic station named as Ernakulam Terminus (station code:ERG) situated behind the High Court . Great personalities like Mahatma Gandhi and The British Viceroy have visited Cochin through this old railway station. Ernakulam Terminus
20224-624: The platoon split and deployed in different areas surrounding Dhaka city. The basic objectives of the Crack Platoon were to demonstrate the strength of Mukti Bahini, terrorising Pakistan Army and their collaborators. Another major objective was proving to the international community that the situation in East Pakistan was not normal. That commando team also aimed at inspiring the people of Dhaka, who were frequently victims of killing and torture. The Crack Platoon successfully fulfilled these objectives. The World Bank mission, in its report, clearly described
20382-593: The procurement process through a Request for Information (RFI), Navy's Directorate of Special Operations and Diving has sought details from global vendors about the ICS. The individual ICS equipment required by the Navy includes lightweight helmets, head-mounted displays, tactical and soft ballistic vests along with communication equipment. The group-level gear requirements include command and control and surveillance systems, and high-speed communication equipment. The devices would have
20540-665: The region even before the signing of the treaty. In 1866, Fort Kochi municipality was reinstalled. Fort Kochi , which was a part of Malabar District until 1956, was made a municipality on 1 November 1866, along with Kannur , Thalassery , Kozhikode , and Palakkad , according to the Madras Act 10 of 1865 (Amendment of the Improvements in Towns act 1850) of the British Indian Empire . Its first Municipal Council seating contest
20698-537: The regular Filipino army soldiers. Most of the members of this unit came from the old Spanish Army filipino members which fought during the Philippine Revolution . The sharpshooters became famous for their fierce fighting and proved their worth by being the usual spearheading unit in every major battle in the Philippine–American War . In the Battle of Paye on December 19, 1899, Bonifacio Mariano,
20856-445: The safest harbours in the Indian Ocean. The port, administered by a statutory autonomous body known as the Cochin Port Trust , offers facilities for bunkering , handling cargo and passenger ships and storage accommodation. The port is a complex of three islands, one of which is man-made. It also operates passenger ships to Colombo and Lakshadweep . Boat services are operated by Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation ,
21014-426: The start of World War II “September campaign,” the Polish Government did not sign the capitulation, but moved to Paris and then to London. In an attempt to achieve its aims the government in exile gave orders to the Polish resistance and formed a special military unit in Britain with the soldiers called Cichociemni (“silent and unseen”) paratroopers to be deployed into Poland. The Cichociemni were trained similar to
21172-399: The state Legislative Assembly, one each from Ernakulam , Kalamassery , Kochi , Paravur , Thrikkakara , Thrippunithura and Vypin . Kochi is widely referred to as the financial and commercial capital of Kerala. Federal Bank , the fourth-largest Private-sector bank in India is located in Aluva which is a suburb of Kochi. Being a major online trading centre in the country, Kochi has
21330-463: The state government for which a project study is being currently undertaken by NATPAC. The primary form of public transport within the city is largely dependent on privately owned bus networks. The state-run also operates its services in the city through the Thirukochi service. The major bus terminals in the city are Ernakulam Town, Ernakulam Jetty and the private bus terminal at Kaloor. An integrated transit terminal namely The Mobility Hub at Vytilla
21488-409: The state government is yet to take any concrete steps in this regard. Soil consists of sediments such as alluvium , teris, brown sands, etc. Hydromorphic saline soils are also found in the areas surrounding the backwaters. Predominant rock types found here are Archaean -basic dykes , Charnockites and Gneisses . An ecologically sensitive area, the Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary is located in
21646-474: The three officers were its first members. The IMSF was renamed as 'Marine Commando Force' in 1991. The MARCOS are capable of undertaking operations in all types of terrain but are specialised in maritime operations. The force has undertaken numerous joint exercises with special forces from around the world. As of 2012, the MARCOS has about 2,000 personnel though the exact number remains classified. Operations undertaken by MARCOS usually remain classified; some of
21804-461: The total number of international and domestic tourist arrivals in Kerala. The city was ranked the sixth best tourist destination in India according to a survey conducted by the Nielsen Company on behalf of the Outlook Traveller magazine . In October 2019, Kochi was ranked seventh in Lonely Planet 's list of top 10 cities in the world to visit in 2020. In November 2023, the British Luxury travel magazine Condé Nast Traveller rated Kochi as one of
21962-419: The training is conducted at INS Abhimanyu, which is also the home base of MARCOS. All MARCOS personnel are freefall qualified ( HALO/HAHO ). A few also qualify to operate the Cosmos CE-2F/X100 two-man submarines. MARCOS train with the Special Forces officers of the Indian Army the Para SF at the Indian Special Forces Training School , Nahan and Army's other schools for unconventional warfare. These include
22120-411: The true situation of East Pakistan and to stop sanctioning the aid. Khaled, along with A. T. M. Haider , another sector commander, formed the Crack Platoon . Initially, the number of commandos in the platoon was 17, trained in Melaghar Camp . From Melaghar, commandos of Crack Platoon headed for Dhaka on 4 June 1971 and launched a guerrilla operation on 5 June. Later, the number of commandos increased,
22278-494: The tutelage of British instructors. With an establishment of 17 officers and 256 men, the independent companies were trained as "stay behind" forces, a role that they were later employed in against the Japanese in the South West Pacific Area during 1942–43, most notably fighting a guerrilla campaign in Timor , as well as actions in New Guinea . In all, a total of eight independent companies were raised before they were re-organised in mid-1943 into commando squadrons and placed under
22436-409: The use of special forces on the same scale as the British. The German army's Brandenburger Regiment was founded as a special forces unit used by the Abwehr for infiltration and long distance reconnaissance in Fall Weiss of 1939 and the Fall Gelb and Barbarossa campaigns of 1940 and 1941. Later during the war the 502nd SS Jäger Battalion , commanded by Otto Skorzeny , sowed disorder behind
22594-402: The volunteers who enroll fail to fully qualify as MARCOS. The total duration of training of MARCOS is between seven and eight months. Recruits receive warfare training through field operations in counter-insurgency and anti-terrorist operations, and are trained to operate in any kind of environment and in situations like hostage rescue, urban combat and piracy. A notably rigorous training program
22752-414: The war ended, army units were often drafted into amphibious exercises. In 1983, the Indian Army formation called 340th Army Independent Brigade was converted into an amphibious assault unit and a series of joint airborne-amphibious exercises were conducted in later years. In April 1986, the Indian Navy started planning for the creation of a special forces unit that would be capable of undertaking missions in
22910-469: The war, Lovat's Scouts went on to formally become the British Army's first sniper unit. Additionally, the Bushveldt Carbineers , formed in 1901, can be seen as an early unconventional warfare unit. The Luna Sharpshooters , also known as the " Marksmen of Death " ( Spanish : Tiradores de la Muerte ), was an elite unit formed on 1899 by General Antonio Luna to serve under the Philippine Revolutionary Army . They became famous for fighting fiercer than
23068-502: Was also constructed. Exports and allied activities are also important contributors to the city's economy. The Cochin Port currently handles export and import of container cargo at its terminal at Willingdon Island . The International Container Transshipment Terminal operating out of Vallarpadam , is India's largest transshipment terminal. Cochin Port Trust also planning to build an Outer Harbour near Puthuvype . Kochi's historical reliance on trade continues into modern times, as
23226-426: Was caused, and raids at Fuka and Mersa Matruh airfields destroyed 30 aircraft. In the Burma Campaign , the Chindits , whose long-range penetration groups were trained to operate from bases deep behind Japanese lines, contained commandos ( King's Regiment (Liverpool) , 142 Commando Company) and Gurkhas . Their jungle expertise, which would play an important part in many British special forces operations post-war,
23384-469: Was conducted in 1883. In 1896, H.H. Rama Varma XV , The Maharaja of Cochin, initiated local administration by forming town councils in Mattancherry and Ernakulam . In 1907, the Governor of the Madras Presidency, Sir Arthur Lawley and his brother, Beilby Lawley, 3rd Baron Wenlock , Governor of Madras, 1891 to 1896, left for an official tour of Cochin and Travancore , which lasted from 25 January to 14 February. On 26 January, they were met by His Highness
23542-440: Was constituted due to public pressure on the state. Towards the early 20th century, trade at the port had increased substantially, and the need to develop the port was greatly felt. Harbour engineer Robert Bristow was brought to Kochi in 1920 under the direction of Lord Willingdon , then the Governor of Madras . In a span of 21 years, he transformed Kochi as one of the safest harbours in the peninsula, where ships berthed alongside
23700-413: Was formed in 1943, with four Type 95 Ha-Go light tanks. The paratroop brigades were organized into the Teishin Shudan as the first division-level raiding unit, at the main Japanese airborne base, Karasehara Airfield, Kyūshū , Japan. However, as with similar airborne units created by the Allies and other Axis powers , the Japanese paratroops suffered from a disproportionately high casualty rate, and
23858-416: Was formed under Cavalry Major Antonios Stefanakis in Palestine, with 200 men. In 1942, the unit was renamed Sacred Band . In close cooperation with the commander of the British SAS Regiment, Lt. Colonel David Stirling , the company moved to the SAS base at Qabrit in Egypt to begin its training in its new role. The special forces unit fought alongside the SAS in the Western Desert and the Aegean . During
24016-404: Was forwarded to the government—requesting the formation of a municipal corporation by combining the existing municipalities of Fort Kochi , Mattancherry , and Ernakulam . The government appointed a commission to study the feasibility of the suggested merger. Based on its report, the Kerala Legislative Assembly approved the corporation's formation. On 1 November 1967, exactly eleven years since
24174-412: Was in turn merged with the Malabar district of the Madras State . Finally, the Government of India 's States Reorganisation Act (1956) inaugurated a new state—Kerala—incorporating Travancore-Cochin (excluding the four southern Taluks which were merged with Tamil Nadu ), Malabar District, and the taluk of Kasargod , South Kanara . On 9 July 1960 the Mattancherry council passed a resolution—which
24332-441: Was learned at a great cost in lives in the jungles of Burma fighting the Japanese. Immediately after the German occupation of Greece in April–May 1941, the Greek government fled to Egypt and started to form military units in exile. Air Force Lt. Colonel G. Alexandris suggested the creation of an Army unit along the lines of the British SAS. In August 1942 the Company of Chosen Immortals ( Greek : Λόχος Επιλέκτων Αθανάτων )
24490-425: Was quickly expanded to 12 units which became known as Commandos. Each Commando had a lieutenant colonel as the commanding officer and numbered around 450 men (divided into 75 man troops that were further divided into 15 man sections ). In December 1940 a Middle East Commando depot was formed with the responsibility of training and supplying reinforcements for the Commando units in that theatre. In February 1942
24648-434: Was responsible for the sinking and damage of considerable British tonnage in the Mediterranean . Also there were other Italian special forces like A.D.R.A. ( Arditi Distruttori Regia Aeronautica ). This regiment was used in raids on Allied airbases and railways in North Africa in 1943. In one mission they destroyed 25 B-17 Flying Fortress bombers. The Imperial Japanese Army first deployed army paratroops in combat during
24806-435: Was the first station to serve the city but had to be abandoned in the early 1960s. Now this station operates as a goods depot of Southern Railway. The Kochi Metro is a metro rapid transit system serving the city of Kochi, intended to considerably ease traffic congestion in the city and its surrounding metropolitan area. It is being set up at an overall estimated cost of ₹ 5,146 crore (US$ 620 million). The Phase-1 of
24964-399: Was unsuccessful. The United States formed the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during World War II under the Medal of Honor recipient William J. Donovan . This organization was the predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and was responsible for both intelligence and special forces missions. The CIA's elite Special Activities Division is the direct descendant of
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