Suspicion as armed Indian Special Forces Unit spotted operating in Zimbabwe

QUESTIONS have been raised over a suspected armed Special Forces Unit of the Indian army reportedly operating in Zimbabwe’s gold and chemicals manufacturing sectors, where it is enjoying unfettered access to raw materials.

The highly-trained soldiers have been engaged in Mozambique’s war-torn Cabo Delgado region, where that country’s government is fighting insurgents, but their presence locally has raised more questions than answers.

The unit is moving around in vehicles branded “Indian Special Forces” and has taken up space within the gold mining and chemicals manufacturing sectors where it is claimed to enjoy unchecked authority.

A former Cabinet minister (name withheld) from Midlands province is said to be a key enabler of their operations.

NewZimbabwe.com spotted two vehicles, a white Toyota GD6 (AGA 2524) and a grey Ford Ranger (AGE 2419) with Indian Army, Special Forces written at their back.

The Toyota GD6 has a “We Dare The Impossible” label on its back panel while the Ford ranger is inscribed “We Are The Fearless.”

According to sources within the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) the vehicles identified have since been seized while more are being tracked down.

Hundreds more of the Unit’s members who had been redeployed in India are said to have found their way into Zimbabwe where they have taken to trade in illegal medicines, arms trade, gold and lithium mining.

These are mostly characters who arrived in the country on tourist VISAs before deviating and engaging in businesses such as the production of sex enhancement drugs.

These drugs were last week flagged by Zimbabwean health authorities, who initiated a raid in collaboration with the police and Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) in Mabvuku, Harare.

NewZimbabwe.com has it on good authority, 11 Indians have so far been deported in the past two weeks with 19 more expected out by end of this week.

“These individuals made their way into the country after their efforts at ending unrest in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique,” said the source who shared details and supporting documentation of their enterprise.

According to sources, the Indians’ first port of call was the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) where they initially sought approval to set up an ethanol plant in the mould of cash-rich Billy Rautenbach’s Greenfuel.

Added the source: “They got approval but soon after proceeded to start seeking financial assistance from government to set it up, to which (then RBZ Governor John) Mangudya said no.

“They are now into gold mining, are looking at lithium and going around in branded vehicles which indicate that they are indeed members of the Indian army’s Special Forces.

“Even the CIO is investigating these guys as there seem to be no link between them and any other Zimbabwean authority besides (the named former Minister).

“Their operating here makes it seem like Zimbabwe has become a Wild-Wild-West where all rogue characters can still come, do what they want, make a living and leave.”

Indian conglomerate, NV Distilleries and Breweries, owned by businessman Ashok Jain has been linked to the unit. It is one of India’s largest producers of alcohol. It operates locally as International Distillers – Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd.

Sources further claim that the identified former minister recently facilitated a meeting between the Indian tycoon and President Emmerson Mnangagwa before he was flagged by CIO operatives.

Jain has been pictured mapping gold claims in Zimbabwe’s Mashonaland provinces.