India will soon deploy commandos from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to provide armed security for its embassy in Tripoli, Libya, following the mission’s reopening in July 2024 after five years of closure. The move aims to ensure the safety of diplomatic staff amid ongoing security challenges in the North African nation.
CRPF Director General Gyanendra Pratap Singh announced during the 87th Raising Day of the force that personnel are preparing for deployment. “The team will operate in Tripoli on similar lines as our security arrangement at the Indian embassy in Baghdad, Iraq,” he said, according to Indian media reports.
Libya has faced a fragile security environment since the 2011 uprising that overthrew Muammar Gaddafi. Years of conflict have divided the country between rival administrations in the east and west. The Indian embassy had been closed in 2019 due to worsening violence, with its operations temporarily relocated to Tunisia and later Malta.
Officials confirmed that about 40 CRPF commandos, led by a deputy commandant, will be stationed at the Tripoli embassy once final clearances are secured by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The embassy is located on Al-Shatt Street in the Libyan capital.
The CRPF previously guarded the Tripoli mission before it was shut down. Its redeployment highlights India’s renewed commitment to maintaining diplomatic relations and supporting its nationals in Libya.
The Embassy of India in Tunisia noted that approximately 3,800 Indian citizens were repatriated from Libya in 2014 due to deteriorating conditions, including six individuals abducted by ISIS. With improved diplomatic ties and cautious optimism about stability, the reopening of the mission marks a significant step for India’s engagement with Libya.
