There are military units that become household names, and then there are those that prefer to remain in the shadows. The Marine Commando Force, better known as MARCOS, belongs firmly to the latter category.
Most Indians know of fighter pilots who dominate the skies and soldiers who guard the nation’s borders. Far fewer know about the men who can parachute into the sea at night, swim several kilometres underwater carrying combat equipment, infiltrate hostile coastlines undetected, and disappear before dawn. Yet for nearly four decades, MARCOS has quietly remained one of India’s most capable elite strategic assets for India.
Established in 1987, MARCOS was born out of a growing realization within the Indian Navy that future conflicts would not always resemble conventional wars. The increasing importance of maritime security, counterterrorism, hostage rescue, anti-piracy operations, and covert reconnaissance demanded a specialized force capable of operating where land, sea, and air intersect.
Its roots, however, go deeper. The story begins at INS Abhimanyu, a naval establishment named after the legendary Mahabharata warrior. Over time, the facility evolved into the cradle of India’s naval special operations capability. Erstwhile, The Indian Marine Special Force (IMSF) was initially raised before eventually evolving into the Marine Commando Force, or MARCOS, the name by which it is attributed today.
Interestingly, one of the lesser-known symbols associated with the force is the griffin—the mythical creature possessing the body of a lion and the wings of an eagle. In mythology, griffins were guardians of treasure and protectors against unseen threats. The symbolism is strikingly relevant. MARCOS operates in precisely those spaces where threats are often invisible, emerging from coastlines, shipping routes, ports, and the vast maritime domain that sustains India’s economy.
And that maritime domain is enormous. India possesses a coastline stretching over 7,500 kilometers, oversees a vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of more than 2 million square kilometres, and sits astride some of the world’s busiest sea lanes. Nearly 95% of India’s trade by volume and a significant portion of its energy imports travel through the seas. Protecting this space requires more than warships alone. It requires eyes, ears, and sometimes boots in places where conventional forces cannot easily operate.
This is where MARCOS comes in. Unlike most military formations, MARCOS operators are expected to be equally comfortable underwater, on land, and in the air. Their training reflects this unique requirement. Selected from among young naval personnel, often in their early twenties, candidates undergo one of the toughest selection processes in the Indian military. Attrition rates have historically been extremely high, with only a fraction of volunteers making it through.
Those who qualify are trained in combat diving, underwater demolition, amphibious warfare, airborne insertion, close-quarter battle, urban warfare, mountain operations, hostage rescue, and counterterrorism. The objective is simple: create an operator who can adapt to almost any environment.
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of MARCOS training is that water remains its primary battlefield. Operators are trained to conduct long-duration underwater missions, covert beach reconnaissance, sabotage of enemy infrastructure, and clandestine insertion from submarines, ships, helicopters, and aircraft. High-altitude parachute jumps into water bodies, followed by long swims to objective areas, form part of their operational skill set.
Globally, they are often compared to the US Navy SEALs, though such comparisons only tell part of the story. India’s maritime geography presents unique challenges that demand indigenous solutions. MARCOS must operate across environments ranging from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal to riverine networks, island territories, mangrove forests, and urban coastlines.
Their operational record reflects this versatility. The force played important roles during Op-Pawan in Sri Lanka, Op-Cactus in the Maldives, and Op-Leech. During the Kargil conflict, MARCOS teams were deployed for reconnaissance and special operations tasks, as well. Following the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, MARCOS commandos were among the first specialised forces to respond to the crisis.
Yet some of their most significant contributions rarely make headlines. Over the past two decades, as piracy surged across the Gulf of Aden and parts of the western Indian Ocean, MARCOS detachments became a regular presence aboard Indian naval warships and merchant vessels. Their deployment helped secure critical shipping lanes through which billions of dollars’ worth of global commerce move annually. Many anti-piracy missions were resolved without dramatic firefights simply because the presence of MARCOS acted as a deterrent.
This role has become even more relevant today. The maritime security environment around India is changing rapidly. Tensions in the Red Sea, instability in parts of West Asia, rising drone threats, underwater infrastructure vulnerabilities, and increased strategic competition in the Indian Ocean have expanded the definition of maritime security. Modern naval power is no longer only about aircraft carriers and missiles.
It is increasingly about controlling information, securing chokepoints, protecting undersea assets, and responding swiftly to asymmetric threats. In many of these scenarios, special operations forces become the first responders.
What makes MARCOS particularly interesting is that they represent a shift in how modern militaries think about power. Conventional forces dominate through visibility. Special forces influence outcomes through invisibility. Their success is often measured by operations that never become public knowledge.
There is another reason why MARCOS deserves greater fraternity attention. India’s strategic outlook is becoming increasingly maritime. As the country’s economic and geopolitical interests expand across the Indo-Pacific, the ability to project influence beyond its shores will depend not only on ships and submarines but also on highly trained personnel capable of operating in contested environments. MARCOS provides precisely that capability.
And perhaps that is why the griffin remains an apt symbol. Like the mythical guardian, MARCOS operates where few can see them. They are rarely photographed, seldom interviewed, and often absent from public discussion. Yet whether it is safeguarding maritime trade routes, conducting covert reconnaissance, countering piracy, responding to terrorism, or preparing for future conflicts at sea, their presence continues to underpin India’s maritime security architecture.
In an era where attention is often drawn to visible military hardware, it is worth remembering that some of a nation’s most important capabilities still reside in the men who work quietly beyond the horizon.
MARCOS has spent nearly four decades doing exactly that.
Disclaimer
Views expressed above are the author’s own.
