Top 10 best special forces in the world in 2024

Last updated on February 16th, 2024 at 03:33 am

Special Forces troops are essential to maintaining international high-risk missions and protecting national security. The top seven elite special forces units in 2024 are revealed here, and they are well-known for their extraordinary operational efficacy, training, and skills.

1. PARA Special Forces (PARA SF) India

For use in Special Operations, Direct Actions, Hostage Rescue, Special Reconnaissance, Foreign Internal Defense, Counter-Proliferation, and Counter-Insurgency, the Indian Army’s Parachute Regiment formed the PARA SF, a Special Forces organization. The primary objective of a Parachute Regiment is to swiftly deploy Warriors behind enemy lines to ambush the adversary from the rear and destroy their initial line of defense.

2. GARUDS (India)

To give the Indian Air Force specialized internal duty capabilities, the Special Forces of the IAF, or Garuds, were established in 2003. In response to terror threats against airfields, Indian Air Force commanders established a specialized force trained in Special Forces techniques, Combat Search and Rescue, Reconnaissance, Counter Insurgency (COIN) Operations, and Emergency Response after terrorists attempted to attack two major air bases in Jammu and Kashmir in 2001.

3. MARCOS, India

Marine Commandos is shortened to MARCOS. Among the most deadly Special Forces in the world is Indian MARCOS. They are trained in HALO and HAHO and equipped with the greatest assault rifles, sniper rifles, and real-time combat gear.

4. National Gendarmerie Intervention Group, France

One of the anti-terrorist organizations with the most combat experience worldwide is Group D’ Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale. Like a SWAT unit or Delta Force, the French GIGN reacts to house invasions or terrorist threats. Over time, the GIGN and the foe have both changed. Their objective is to go to the assault area as soon as possible in order to capture or kill the attackers before they have a chance to do more harm.

5. Special Air Service (SAS) – United Kingdom

One of Britain’s oldest and probably greatest special forces is the Special Air Service (SAS). It was founded in 1941. The 22 SAS Regiment (the regular unit), the 21 SAS (Artists)(R), and the 23 SAS reserve units (reserves) comprise the three units that make up the Special Air Service. The 22 SAS regiment consists of the following four active squadrons: A, B, D, and G. There are around 65 men in each squadron, split into four units. Every troop has a headquarters division under the command of a captain.

6. Navy SEALs – The United States

United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land Teams, or Navy SEALs, were founded in 1962 as a branch of the United States Special Operation Command and the Naval Special Warfare Command. Though their origins date back to World War II, the modern SEAL was created during the Vietnam War in 1961.

7. Alpha Group – Russia

The Alpha Group, formally known as Directorate “A” of the FSB Special Purpose Center, was founded by the Soviet KGB in 1974 to conduct counterterrorism operations and serve as a security layer for the Soviet leadership. The Federal Security Service (FSB), Russia’s internal security organization, is now in charge of Alpha Group. Many people consider the operators of the Alpha Group to be among of the most aggressive in the world.

8. Delta Force (1st SFOD-D) – USA

In recent years, special forces and Delta Force have come to be synonymous. It’s practically a household name now. However, this was not intended to be the case. Delta team is a secret special operations team that was established to combat high-value targets and carry out counterterrorism, hostage rescue, and recon missions. It was formerly known as the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta.

9. Gruppo di intervento special (GIS), Italy

The Italian Carabinieri’s special forces section is known as the Gruppo di Intervento Speciale (GIS), or Special Intervention Group. In 1978, the Carabinieri, an armed forces component responsible for both civilian and military law enforcement, established GIS as a police tactical squad.

In 2004, GIS assumed a special operations mission and transformed into a special forces unit, becoming a part of the Comando Internazionale per le Operazioni delle Forze Speciali (COFS), in addition to its duties as a tactical police unit. The other two tactical police organizations in Italy are the Guardia di Finanza’s Antiterrorism Pronto Impiego (ATPI) and the Polizia di Stato’s Nucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza (NOCS).

10. Sayeret Matkal – Israel

The Israel Defense Forces’ Sayeret Matkal, also known as the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit, is a special forces unit. It was established in the wake of the notorious Qibya massacre and the subsequent disbandment of Unit-101, which at the time was the IDF’s sole unit devoted to special forces outside of the Navy’s Shayetet 13.