In a significant development, the Z-Plus category security cover for Gursharan Kaur, the wife of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, has been withdrawn, according to official government sources. The decision was taken following a periodic security review conducted by intelligence and central security agencies, as is standard practice for VIP security reassessments.
Gursharan Kaur, who had been under Z-Plus security—a category that includes a high-level protection team with National Security Guard (NSG) commandos and other supporting staff—will now have her security downgraded or discontinued. The exact nature of the revised security arrangement has not been disclosed publicly.
Sources from the Ministry of Home Affairs have stated that such changes are routine and based on threat perception reports. The reviews assess current risks based on inputs from intelligence agencies, and security cover is adjusted accordingly. In this case, officials claim there is no specific threat that necessitates a continued Z-Plus level of protection for Kaur.
However, Dr. Manmohan Singh will continue to be under Z-Plus security, which includes protection by NSG commandos, even though he retired as Prime Minister in 2014. His security cover has remained unchanged due to his high-profile political background and the sensitive nature of his former role in national and international affairs.
The move has sparked political conversation, with some viewing it as a cost-cutting administrative decision, while others raise questions about the timing. So far, there has been no official reaction from Dr. Singh or his family.
The Z-Plus category is the highest level of security cover in India, generally reserved for top leaders, including the Prime Minister, Home Minister, and select high-risk individuals. The reassignment of such cover is always subject to dynamic risk assessments.
This development reflects the government’s ongoing strategy to reassess and streamline VIP security allocations based on present-day needs and threat evaluations, rather than historical status alone.
