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Central Armed Police Forces
5.1 CAPF Overview
All Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) are under the Ministry of Home Affairs. They are distinct from the Indian Army (Ministry of Defence) but work alongside the Army in internal security operations.
| Force | Est. | Primary Role | Personnel |
|---|---|---|---|
| CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) | 1939 | Internal security — LWE, J&K, NE; election duty | ~3.25 lakh |
| BSF (Border Security Force) | 1965 | India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders | ~2.65 lakh |
| CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) | 1969 | Security of PSUs, airports, nuclear establishments | ~1.65 lakh |
| ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police) | 1962 | India-China border (3,488 km) | ~0.90 lakh |
| SSB (Sashastra Seema Bal) | 1963 | India-Nepal and India-Bhutan borders | ~0.90 lakh |
| NSG (National Security Guard) | 1984 | Counter-terrorism; anti-hijacking; VIP protection | ~0.10 lakh |
| NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) | 2006 | Disaster response — earthquakes, floods, industrial | ~0.12 lakh |
5.2 Key Forces in Detail
CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force)
- India's largest CAPF; est. 1939 as Crown Representative's Police; renamed 1949
- Deployed in J&K (anti-militancy), LWE areas (Cobras — Commando Battalions for Resolute Action), Northeast (insurgency management), and nationwide for election duty
- Rapid Action Force (RAF): CRPF's 15-battalion specialised riot control unit
- Cobra (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action): Jungle warfare-trained, deployed in Naxal areas
- Absorbed highest casualties in LWE operations — 2010 Dantewada ambush killed 76 CRPF personnel
BSF (Border Security Force)
- Established 1 December 1965 after 1965 India-Pakistan war exposed lack of trained border guarding
- Guards India-Pakistan border (3,323 km) and India-Bangladesh border (4,156 km)
- First line of defence against cross-border infiltration and smuggling
- Also deployed in anti-insurgency operations in J&K (below the Line of Control)
- Provided perimeter security in Operation Smiling Buddha (1974) and Operation Shakti (1998) — nuclear tests at Pokhran
NSG (National Security Guard)
- Established 1984 following Operation Blue Star (Amritsar, June 1984) — which demonstrated the need for a specialised urban counter-terrorism force
- Two wings: Special Action Group (SAG — drawn from Army) and Special Rangers Group (SRG — drawn from CAPFs)
- Famous operations: Operation Black Thunder I (1986) and II (1988) — expelled militants from Golden Temple; 26/11 Mumbai (2008) — NSG stormed Taj Hotel and Nariman House
- NSG Hubs: Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad
NDRF
- Established under Disaster Management Act, 2005 under National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
- 16 battalions drawn from BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSB
- Deployed for floods (Kerala 2018), earthquakes (Nepal 2015, Turkey 2023), cyclones (Amphan 2020, Biparjoy 2023), industrial disasters