The Special Frontier Force (SFF), or Establishment 22, was officially established on November 14, 1962, in the immediate aftermath of the Sino-Indian War, with the primary goal of creating a specialized guerrilla force to

Key Aspects of the Initial Three Months (Nov 1962 – Feb 1963):

• Formation & Leadership: The force was raised under the guidance of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief B.N. Mullik, with crucial support from Biju Patnaik and the CIA. Major General Sujan Singh Uban was appointed as the first Inspector General, leading the unit from its base in Chakrata, Uttarakhand.
• Recruitment: The force was primarily composed of Tibetan refugees (mostly Khampa fighters) who had fled to India after 1959. The recruitment quickly gathered around 5,000–6,000 volunteers eager to fight for the liberation of Tibet.
• Initial Setup & Training: The unit was initially known as “Establishment 22” or “Two-Twos”. The early months focused on setting up camp in Chakrata, a former Gurkha training center at 7,000 feet, and starting basic training in rock climbing and mountain warfare.
• Objectives: The initial mandate was for the force to be ready for cross-border infiltration into Tibet within six months of its creation.
• Initial Challenges: In the first months, the force faced scrutiny from the Indian Army, which was skeptical of the unit’s effectiveness, leading to the SFF having to prove its worth through field exercises later in 1963