Assam Rifles

The present day Assam Rifles can trace its origins to a paramilitary force known as Cachar Levy which was established by the British in 1835 in the Assam region. The Assam Rifles boasts of being the oldest paramilitary force. With approximately seven hundred and fifty men, this force was formed as a police unit to protect settlements against tribal raids and other assaults as British rule slowly moved towards the north east parts of India.[16]

Despite problems with equipment and training, the contribution of this force in opening the region to administration and commerce was nevertheless quite significant and over time they have become known as the "right arm of the civil and [the] left arm of the military" in the region.[16] In 1870 these existing elements were merged into three Assam Military Police battalions which were spread out in the Lushai Hills (later 1st battalion), Lakhimpur (2nd battalion) and Naga Hills (3rd battalion). A fourth battalion was later formed Imphal in 1915. Following India's independence, Col. Sidhiman Rai, MC, was appointed the first Indian DG of Assam Rifles.

Since then the name of the force has undergone a number of changes, as have the roles that it has been required to perform.

During World War I, men from what was then known as the Assam Military Police were part of the Indian forces that fought in Europe and the Middle East. Over three thousand men from the force were provided to the Gorkha regiments of the Indian Army in this time, earning seventy-six gallantry awards during the conflict including seven Indian Order of Merit awards and five Indian Distinguished Service Medals.[16] These men performed with such distinction that the name Assam Rifles was assigned in 1917 as recognition of their part in the war.[16] Elements of the force were also utilised in India during the war, being used to maintain internal security in order to free up troops from the army for use overseas. During this time, the most notable action occurred in 1917 when columns of the Assam Rifles were despatched to Patna, to restore law and order in the riot-torn city.[16]

After the war the force returned to northern India where they were used to maintain security amidst growing civil unrest and disorder. In concert with the British Indian Army, they also undertook a number of expeditions into remote tribal areas along the north-east frontier and into Burma. In 1924 they were sent to Malabar, which was then still part of the Madras Presidency, to carry out operations against the Mopla rebels.[16]

During World War II, the role of the Assam Rifles evolved once more as they were called upon to undertake even more varied tasks due to their status as both a police and military organisation. This time, however, their service would be undertaken closer to home. After the lightning Japanese advance in 1942, the Assam Rifles fought a number of Independent actions behind enemy lines as the task of rear-area defence and rear-guard often fell to them during the Allies retreat into India. Later, as a large influx of refugees fled from the advancing Japanese into India, the Assam Rifles were given the task of managing and organising this mass of humanity.[16]

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 Kohima, whilst another, from the 4th Battalion, trained as airborne troops, was dropped near the Sittang River behind Japanese lines.[18] 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 MBE's, five Military Crosses, 4 Orders of British India, one Indian Order of Merit, 13 Military Medals, 15 Indian Distinguished Service Medals and 7 British Empire Medals.[16]

Assam Rifles personnel

Following the end of the war the five Assam Rifles battalions became part of the civil police under the Assam Inspector General of Police.[18] 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.[16] 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.[20]

Prior to 1965, this force was under the Ministry of External Affairs, who were looking after NEFA affairs. Later, it was transferred to the Ministry of Home Affairs, with Indian Army retaining operational control. From a nominal complement of only five battalions in 1947, it has grown to 33 with several range HQs. A training center, and a number of logistics units function under the HQ DGAR, Shillong.[21] The Assam Rifles Public School is a much sought after education institute in the North East.

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.[18] 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.[16] 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.[16] 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.[18]

Through its deployment in what has become known as the "tribal belt", the Assam Rifles have developed an ethos that is based primarily upon the notion of extending the hand of friendship with the people of the region despite the troubles that have occurred there.[16] This has resulted in their employment in a number of developmental activities in the region as they have worked to bring order and security to it. As such, their role has been further expanded to include the provision of medical assistance and basic education, assisting in reconstruction and agriculture and handling communications in remote areas.

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.[18] 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.[22]

HQ DGAR
The Assam Rifles is commanded by an officer of the rank of Lieutenant General from the Indian Army, who is known as the Director General of the Assam Rifles (DG AR). The DG AR has their office at the HQ Directorate General of Assam Rifle at Shillong, unlike other Central Armed Police Forces which are located at Delhi.[24]

HQ IGAR
HQ Inspector General Assam Rifles comes next in chain of command after HQ MGAR. It is commanded by an officer of the rank of Major General from the Indian Army and exercises command and control over the sector HQs.

Sector HQ
The Sector HQ are commanded by Army Officers of the rank of Brigadier from the Army. The Sector HQ exercises direct command and control over the Assam Rifles Battalions deployed in its area of responsibility.

Maintenance Group Assam Rifles (MGAR)
The Maintenance Groups located at various location provide the requisite administrative support to the Assam Rifles formations and battalions deployed in the field. The MGAR are commanded by officers of the rank of Lieutenant Colonel from the Army.

Workshop
The workshop are co-located with the MGAR to provide repair and recovery cover to the field formations. These workshops further provide detachments to the Sector HQs to provide repair and recovery cover as far forward as possible to the battalions.

The areas covered by the Assam Rifle are themselves divided into sectors:

• Assam Rifles North – Kohima, Nagaland
  • Sector 5 – Kohima, Nagaland
  • Sector 6 – Dimapur, Nagaland
  • Sector 7 – Tuensang, Nagaland
  • Sector 25 – Lekhapani, Assam
• Assam Rifles South – Imphal, Manipur
  • Sector 9 – Imphal, Manipur
  • Sector 10 – Ukhrul South, Manipur
  • Sector 26 – Thoubal, Manipur
  • Sector 27 – Churchandrapur, Manipur
  • Sector 28 – Thoubal, Manipur
• Assam Rifles East – Silchar, Assam
  • Sector 21 – Agartala, Tripura
  • Sector 22 – Haflong, Assam
  • Sector 23 – Aizawl, Mizoram
• Assam Rifles Training Centre & School – Dimapur, Nagaland

Enlisted ranks

Rank group	Junior commissioned officers										Non commissioned officer												Enlisted
Assam Rifles[30] –2018																													No insignia
	Subedar Major सूबेदार मेजर						Subedar सूबेदार		Naib Subedar नायब सूबेदार		Havildar हवलदार												Naik नायक				Lance Naik लांस नायक		Sepoy सिपाही

The Assam Rifles' boycott of the 2020 Indian Independence Day in Aizawl, Mizoram was a controversial incident that strained the relationship between the state government and the paramilitary force. According to the Mizoram government, high ranking officers of the Assam Rifles in Mizoram refused to attend the Independence Day celebration on August 15, 2020 over a dispute regarding the Warrant of Precedence (WoP) issued by the state government, which placed the Brigadier(DIG) rank of the Assam Rifles at par with the Secretary to the state government, Deputy Commissioners within their own jurisdiction, DIG of police and District and Sessions Judges and other officials.[33] Although such is the case even for other states, the Assam Rifles reportedly stated that the Mizoram WoP was "a dishonor to the appointment and rank held by the senior most army officer in the state" and further stated that "No officer of Assam Rifles would be attending the function organized by the state of Mizoram", thus, boycotting and disrespecting the revered Independence Day celebrations. No senior officials attended the celebration while the normal march past personnel were in attendance. The Assam Rifles admitted to the boycott and stated that the reason for their action was that the Assam Rifles were not consulted prior to the release of the WoP although such consultation was not required. It may be mentioned that even the Assam order of precedence back in 1964 lists Brigadier and equivalent ranked officers at 37th while Deputy Commissioners were put at 36th alongside Secretaries, Addl. Secretaries and Joint Secretaries.[34] Similarly, the Meghalaya State Government WoP lists the Brigadier and other equivalent ranked officers under warrant number 19 alongside DIGPs, head of departments and other posts while the Deputy Commissioners were kept at 17th with Secretaries, Addl. Secretaries and Joint Secretaries at 16th(2) and 18th respectively.[35] Thus, it becomes clear that the Mizoram Government had actually elevated the rank of the Brigadier with respect from a predominantly and traditionally lower level in the WoP. The Under-Secretary to the Government of Mizoram subsequently addressed a letter to Brigadier Vinod S, the then commander of 23 Sector Assam Rifles in the state, on 21 August, stating that the decision of Assam Rifles to not participate in I-Day celebrations over the issue of WoP is “unbecoming of the senior most paramilitary force in the state”, further adding "Your action, fueled by personal whims and fancy of boycotting the ceremonial function has tarnished the image of the Assam Rifles in Mizoram". The Chief Secretary of Mizoram also added that Assam Rifles had no authentic reason to skip the celebration as its Brigadier was elevated from an equivalent rank of Additional Secretary to that of the Secretary to the Mizoram state government.[36] [37]

The Mizoram government also accused the Assam Rifles of violating COVID-19 protocols by forcing their way through a COVID-19 checkpost at Vairengte, a boundary town in Kolasib district of Mizoram on August 18 without mandatory screening.[38][39] The Assam Rifles denied the allegations and claimed that they had followed all the norms and procedures although this was not the case. Free movement was indeed a right of the armed forces, however, they were still bound to Disaster Management and Rehabilitation protocols during non-time-sensitive transits, the Mizoram government wrote to the Centre, asking it to direct the Assam Rifles to stop its recalcitrant behavior and to cooperate with the state government like other armed forces. The then Chief Secretary of Mizoram, in his letter to the Union Government stated that "the force failed to recognize that Mizoram was a peaceful state where AFSPA had long been withdrawn.".