Strategic Forces Command

The Indian Strategic Forces Command (SFC), sometimes called The Strategic Nuclear Command forms part of India's Nuclear Command Authority (NCA). It is responsible for the management and administration of the country's tactical and strategic nuclear weapons stockpile. It was created on January 4th, 2003.

It is the responsibility of the SFC to operationalize the directives of the NCA under the leadership of a Commander-in-Chief of the rank of Air Marshal (or its equivalent). It will have the sole responsibility of initiating the process of delivering nuclear weapons and warheads, after acquiring explicit approval from the NCA. The exact selection of the target area shall be decided by the SFC through a calibrated, cumulative process involving various levels of decision-making, and with formal approval by the NCA.

The SFC manages and administers all strategic forces by exercising complete command and control over nuclear assets, and producing all contingency plans as needed to fulfil the required tasks. Since its inception, the SFC’s Command, Control and Communication systems have been firmly established, and the command has attained a high state of operational readiness.