The Beast to bomb detectors: How US prez will be protected in Delhi at G20 Summit

United States president Joe Biden is set to arrive in India on Friday (8 September) evening for the G20 Summit in New Delhi, scheduled for 9-10 September. He and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are expected to hold bilateral talks on the same day after his arrival. This is Biden’s first visit to India after becoming the US president in January 2021. As the US president sets out for the trip, his security team and Indian personnel are geared up to keep one of the most influential leaders of the world safe. Let’s take a look at how Biden will be guarded during his visit to Delhi. Ferried in ‘The Beast’ Biden will be shuttled around Delhi in the US presidential car, widely known as ‘The Beast’. The state limousine carries the US president away from the White House, be it a foreign or domestic visit. The Beast has been the US president’s car since 2001 when George W Bush assumed the post. The current model deployed in Biden’s service was designed by General Motors (GM) in America and was launched in 2018, as per The Independent report. The US president has travelled in the Presidential Cadillac during his recent foreign visits, including when he visited London for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral last September. [caption id=“attachment_13091832” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] The US president mostly travels in The Beast for domestic or foreign visits. Reuters File Photo[/caption] Days before Biden flew to Northern Ireland for a four-day tour in April this year, an American naval aircraft delivered the bespoke state car to the west coast of the Republic of Ireland, The Irish Mirror reported at the time. According to India Today, the presidential limousine will be flown to India from the US in a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III. What to know about The Beast The armoured vehicle boasts of bullet-proof five-inch-thick glass. It is reportedly equipped with tear gas grenade launchers and night vision cameras. The presidential limo is built on GMC TopKick chassis meant for medium-duty commercial vehicles, says Car and Driver.

The Beast, which is 18 feet long, can seat up to seven people.

According to a Spyspace article, the presidential limousine, weighing around eight to 10 tonnes, can protect its occupants from chemical attacks. The limo has an eight-inch military-grade armour plating, with armoured floor plates, to make it resistant to bomb blasts. As per NBC, this armour is made up of aluminium, ceramic and steel. Its run-flat tyre technology ensures that the vehicle keeps on moving even if its tyres are punctured. As per Spyspace, The Beast is believed to have smoke screens and door handles armed to send a 120-volt electric shock to any intruder. ALSO READ: Paramilitary troops, sniffer dogs, anti-drone units: Delhi’s security prep for G20 summit The automotive magazine Road and Track has described the presidential limo as “a simple evolution of the old model with more current Cadillac design cues, like an Escalade sedan”. The Beast carries firefighting equipment, oxygen tanks and a supply of blood matching the President’s blood type in case of any emergency, noted The Independent. The vehicle is soundproof, however, there are speakers inside the car so that passengers can hear what’s happening outside. The Secret Service code name for the car is “Stagecoach”, as per The Independent. Other plans for the US president’s protection A three-layer security will be in place to keep the US president safe in Delhi as he lands for the G20 Summit. As per India Today, paramilitary force will constitute the outermost layer and India’s Special Protection Group (SPG) commandos will make the second layer. SPG, consisting of only elite officers from the police, paramilitary forces, Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), is in charge of the security of India’s Prime Minister. The final and innermost layer of Biden’s security will include US Secret Service agents. The US president is expected to fly in Air Force One, which refers to two highly customised Boeing 747-200B series aircraft. [caption id=“attachment_13091862” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] US president Joe  Biden  boards the  Beast  Motorcade after getting off the Air Force One in Belgium in 2021. Reuters File Photo[/caption] The fittest and most trained officers in the 21-28 age group will be deployed in a close proximity team of Biden. These officers will carry pistols, long-range and short-range weapons like M4, Glock, and bullet-resistant sheets, reported News18. The protection team will deploy bomb detectors to sanitise the routes for the US president to prevent any potential attacks. The US is likely to bring 60 vehicles during the G20 Summit. The staff at the hotel in which Biden will stay during his Delhi visit will undergo background checks, with special access cards being allotted to those who can visit the president on the 14th floor, reported India Today. Secret Service commandos will also be present inside the hotel for added security. In case of any emergency, the US agencies have planned an evacuation process through the airport and other ports, as per the News18 report. Meanwhile, helicopters of the Air Force and the Indian Army carrying Army and National Security Guard (NSG) personnel will make rounds in the sky to monitor Delhi, noted India Today. With inputs from agencies