Page 3 - Lesson 18.xps

Module -VI
Armed Forces in Internal Security
Armed Forces and itss
As part of the direct involvement the Indian Army has raised a specialised counter Role in Internal Security
insurgency force named Rashtriya Rifles (RR) which is specifically trained to carry out
counter insurgency operations in the high altitude theatre of J &K.
In the Northeast a number of insurgent groups like the United Liberation Front of
Assam (ULFA), National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and the United
National Liberation Front (UNLF) are carrying out their terrorist operations against
Note
the Indian establishments by operating across the porous border between India and
Myanmar. These terrorist groups have their bases in Myanmar and receive their arms
and ammunitions from various Southeast Asian nations.
The border is very difficult to be fenced mainly due to its geographic terrain which
consists of mountains, valleys and dense forests. Hence the insurgent groups easily
move in and out of India to carry out their terrorist activity. Due to the nature of the
border it makes the task of the Indian security forces to patrol and secure the borders
extremely difficult.

Assam Rifles

Similar to the Rashtriya Rifles in J & K, in the Northeastern States the Assam Rifles is
the specialised force that carries out anti- insurgency operations in difficult terrain of
the region. The Assam Rifles raised as Cachar Levy in 1835 is the oldest Central Para
Military Force in India. The Force was raised mainly to guard the alluvial plains of
Assam from the wild and unruly tribes inhabiting the surrounding hill tracts. This was
the earliest embodied unit of what eventually developed into the Assam Rifles.
The Force is a potent organization with 46 battalions and its associated command and
administrative back up. It is designated by the GoM committee as the Border Guarding
Force for the Indo - Myanmar border and is also its lead intelligence agency. Look at
the logo of the Assam Rifles given below.

Fig.18.2 Assam Rifles Logo
So, what functions does the Assam Rifles perform? Some of the specialist functions
are -

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MILITARY STUDIES 83