Assam Rifles: Difference between revisions

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The '''Assam Rifles''' ('''AR''') is a [[Federal police|central]] [[paramilitary]] force<ref>{{cite news|last=Singh|first=Soibam Rocky|title=HC asks Centre to decide on control over Assam Rifles|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kolkata/hc-asks-centre-to-decide-on-control-over-assam-rifles/article32538019.ece|access-date=5 September 2021|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=6 September 2022}}</ref> responsible for [[border security]], [[counter-insurgency]], and maintaining [[law and order]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Section 4 in Assam Rifles Act, 2006 |url=https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1887440/ |publisher=[[Indian Kanoon]] |access-date=1 November 2022}}</ref> in [[Northeast India]]. It guards the [[Indo-Myanmar border]]. The Assam rifles is the oldest paramilitary force of India and Its comes under the administration of the [[Ministry of Home Affairs (India)|Ministry of Home Affairs]], while its operational control is maintained by the [[Indian Army]]. Being a police force, its recruitment, perks, [[Police ranks and insignia of India|promotions]], and retirement policies are governed by CAPF rules.<ref>{{cite news |title=MHA to explain functioning of Assam Rifles in northeastern states before Parliamentary panel |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/mha-to-explain-functioning-of-assam-rifles-in-northeastern-states-before-parliamentary-panel20220525105037/|access-date=1 November 2022 |work=[[Asian News International]] |date=25 May 2022 |ref=ANI}}</ref> Around 80 percent of its officers are deputed from the Indian Army and remaining from AR cadre.<ref>{{cite news|last=Nathanael|first=M. P.|title=Changing the status quo|url=https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/changing-the-status-quo/article29911945.ece|access-date=1 November 2022|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=7 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Standing Committee on Home Affairs|title=Committee Reports|url=https://prsindia.org/policy/report-summaries/working-conditions-in-border-guarding-forces|publisher=[[PRS Legislative Research]]|access-date=1 November 2022|date=12 December 2022}}</ref> The AR is commanded by the [[Director General of the Assam Rifles]] (DG AR) who is appointed by the Ministry of Home Affairs.<ref>{{cite news|author=[[Press Trust of India]]|title=Lt Gen Ranbir Singh appointed new DG of Assam Rifles|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/lt-gen-ranbir-singh-appointed-new-dg-of-assam-rifles-112082400479_1.html|access-date=1 November 2022|work=[[Business Standard]]|date=24 August 2022}}</ref>

The AR is also dubbed as "Sentinels of North East" and "Friends of the Hill People". It is the oldest [[Paramilitary forces of India|paramilitary force in India]], originally raised in 1835 as Cachar Levy, a [[militia]] to protect [[tea garden]]s and [[Indo-Gangetic Plain|fertile plains]] of [[Assam]] against [[Tribes of Assam|unruly tribes]]. Its scope increased with the expansion of [[British Raj]] in [[Northeast India]], and were used against [[insurgency in Northeast India|insurgency in the region]]. The force was redesigned as Assam Frontier Police in 1883, Assam Military Police in 1891, and East Bengal and Assam Military Police in 1913.<ref>{{cite book|last=Pant|first=Harsh V.|title=The Routledge Handbook of Indian Defence Policy: Themes, Structures and Doctrines|date=11 May 2020|publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]]|isbn=978-1-000-07435-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YbfjDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT338|access-date=1 November 2022}}</ref> It got its present name in 1917.<ref>{{cite news|author=News desk|title=From 'Cachar Levy' to Assam Rifles: All You Need to Know About India's Oldest Paramilitary Force|url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/from-cachar-levy-to-assam-rifles-all-you-need-to-know-about-indias-oldest-paramilitary-force-4438802.html|access-date=1 November 2022|work=[[CNN-News18]]|date=13 November 2021}}</ref> After independence, the AR functioned under the [[Ministry of External Affairs (India)|Ministry of External Affairs]].<ref name="TOI">{{cite news|last=Singh|first=K. J.|title=Ain't broke? Don't fix: Assam Rifles delivers beyond expectations|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/generals-jottings/aint-broke-dont-fix-assam-rifles-delivers-beyond-expectations/|access-date=1 November 2022|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=29 September 2022}}</ref> Its operational control was transferred to the Indian Army post [[Sino-Indian War]] of 1962.<ref>{{cite news|author=Tribune News Service|title=Assam Rifles may soon be merged with ITBP|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/nation/assam-rifles-may-soon-be-merged-with-itbp-832604|access-date=1 November 2022|work=[[Tribune India]]|date=14 September 2022}}</ref> It came under the administration of Ministry of Home Affairs in 1965, with Army retaining operational control.<ref name="TOI"/>

As of 2019-2020 report of Ministry of Home Affairs, there are 46 battalions of Assam Rifles with a sanctioned strength of 65,143 personnel.<ref name="History">{{cite web|url=http://assamrifles.net/site/aboutus.htm |title=History of the Assam Rifles |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310015024/http://assamrifles.net/site/aboutus.htm |archive-date=10 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/AnnualReport_19_20.pdf |title=Annual Report Ministry of Home Affairs 2019-2020 |website=mha.gov.in |publisher=MHA |access-date=6 January 2022}}</ref> They perform many roles including the provision of internal security under the control of the army through the conduct of [[counterinsurgency]] and border security operations, provision of aid to the civilians in times of emergency, and the provision of [[communications]], medical assistance and education in remote areas.{{sfn|Sharma|2022}} In times of war they can also be used as a combat force to secure rear areas if needed. Since 2002, the force has been given the role of guarding the India–Myanmar border.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article/one-border-one-force/221456 |title=One Border One Force? |publisher=outlookindia.com}}</ref>

They also organized a resistance group on the Indo–Burmese border to counter the Japanese invasion and to harass the enemy line of communications. This group became known as "Victor Force" (or sometimes [[V-Force]]), and the nucleus of it was formed from platoons made up of men from the Assam Rifles. As part of this force, Assam Rifles platoons were used as covering forces during the latter stages of the [[Burma Campaign]]. Other elements fought in the defensive "boxes" around [[Battle of Kohima|Kohima]], whilst another, from the 4th Battalion, trained as airborne troops, was dropped near the [[Sittang River]] behind Japanese lines.{{sfn|Sharma|2022}} The 1st Battalion, as part of [[Lushai Brigade]] was sent ahead of the rest of the force to provide resistance in the [[Chin Hills]]. As a testament to the performance of Assam Rifles men during the war, members of the unit received forty-eight gallantry awards. These included: three [[Member of the Order of the British Empire|MBE]]'s, five [[Military Cross]]es, 4 [[Order of British India|Orders of British India]], one [[Indian Order of Merit]], 13 [[Military Medal]]s, 15 [[Indian Distinguished Service Medal]]s and 7 [[British Empire Medal]]s.<ref name=History />

Following the end of the war the five Assam Rifles battalions became part of the civil police under the Assam Inspector General of Police.{{sfn|Sharma|2022}} After independence, however, the Indian government assigned the Assam Rifles its own Director General, who is sent on tenure based postings from the [[Indian Army]].<ref name=History /> As the numbers of the force and the number of battalions gradually increased, the rank of the force commander was upgraded to Director General, which is occupied by a [[lieutenant general]] ranking officer in the Indian Army. The present Director General of the Assam Rifles Pradeep Chandran Nair.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lt Gen Sukhdeep Sangwan takes over as DG of Assam Rifles |url=https://nenow.in/north-east-news/lt-gen-sukhdeep-sangwan-takes-dg-assam-rifles.html |website=NORTHEAST NOW}}</ref>

The role of the Assam Rifles continued to evolve when in 1950 a devastating earthquake hit the Assam region and the force was called in to assist in the reconstruction of the areas and help in the resettlement and rehabilitation of those affected by it.{{sfn|Sharma|2022}} Later the force was once again called to undertake a combat role when, during the 1962 [[Sino-Indian War]] elements were used to delay the advancing Chinese forces so that the Indian Army could establish its defence lines.<ref name=History /> During this time and since then, the Assam Rifles also maintained their peacekeeping role in the northern areas of India in the face of growing tribal unrest and insurgency. In this environment the maintenance of law and order, countering insurgency and reassuring the people of the region became important tasks for the security forces and initially they fell to the Assam Rifles before the Army assumed control, and then later their experience and goodwill in the region was drawn upon in order to assist the army in conducting these tasks.<ref name=History /> In recognition of the unit's skill in counterinsurgency operations, three battalions were deployed on [[Operation Pawan]] in Sri Lanka between December 1988 and February 1990.{{sfn|Sharma|2022}}

From a force of 5 battalions in 1947, the Assam Rifles has grown substantially over the years. In 1960 there were 17 battalions, in 1968 there were 21 and today there are 46 battalions.{{sfn|Sharma|2022}} In addition, the force has several area HQs, a training centre that processes up to 1,800 recruits at time, and a number of logistics units.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://assamrifles.net/site/training.htm |title=Assam Rifles Training Centre |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090309031319/http://assamrifles.net/site/training.htm |archive-date=9 March 2022}}</ref>

* {{cite web |last=Sharma |first=A.K. |date=2008 |url=http://frontierindia.net/the-assam-rifles-sentinels-of-the-east |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080519152847/http://frontierindia.net/the-assam-rifles-sentinels-of-the-east |title=The Assam Rifles: Sentinels of the East |archive-date=19 May 2008 |access-date=25 February 2022}}