The Assam Rifles recently celebrated its 187th Raising Day in Shillong, marking another year of its existence as the guardian of the Northeast and the oldest paramilitary force in India.
Origins and Key Role of Assam Rifles
Formed in 1835, the Assam Rifles began as a militia known as the ‘Cachar Levy.’ Its primary function was to protect British Tea estates and their settlements from tribal raids. Over time, the force significantly contributed to the opening of the Assam region to administration and commerce, earning it the moniker “the right arm of the civil and left arm of the military.”
Today, the Assam Rifles functions as a Central Paramilitary Force under the umbrella of the Central Armed Police Forces. It has two battalions stationed in Jammu and Kashmir and an active National Disaster Relief Force battalion which mobilizes during natural calamities.
The Assam Rifles and Woman Empowerment
India has been a long-standing contributor to United Nation peacekeeping missions. The recent addition of the Riflewomen Team from the Assam Rifles adds a new social and human dimension to India’s commitment towards international peacekeeping efforts.
Major Role Post-Independence
Post-independence, Assam Rifles played key roles in several significant events. They took on a conventional combat role during the Sino-India War of 1962 and participated in a foreign land operation as part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force to Sri Lanka in 1987 (Operation Pawan). Moreover, they continue to play a peacekeeping role in the North-Eastern areas of India.
In November 2019, the Ministry of Home Affairs proposed a merger of the Assam Rifles with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), a specialized mountain force raised in October 1962. The ITBP currently guards India’s border from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh, spanning 3488 km of the Indo-China Border.
Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF)
The Central Armed Police Forces refers to seven security forces in India under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs. These include the Assam Rifles (AR), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Security Guard (NSG), and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).
This article derives its information from the PIB (Press Information Bureau), which is a nodal agency of the Government of India.