Editing Assam Rifles (section)

{{short description|Indian border force for the Indo-Burma Border}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}}
{{distinguish|Assam Regiment}}
{{Infobox law enforcement agency
| agencyname        = Assam Rifles
| abbreviation      = AR
| patch             = 
| patchcaption      = 
| logo              = Assam Rifles LOGO.svg
| logocaption       = [[Insignia]] of the Assam Rifles
| badge             = 
| badgecaption      = 
| flag              = Assam Rifles Flag.svg
| flagcaption       = Flag of the Assam Rifles
| motto             = Friends of the Hill People<br />Sentinels of the North East
| mottotranslated   = 
| mission           = 
| formedyear        = {{start date and age|1835}}
| formedmonthday    = 
| preceding1        = 
| employees         = 65,143<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>
| volunteers        = 
| budget            = {{INR}}13556.89 crore (2024–25)<ref name="annual budget">{{Cite news|title=Rs 1.85 lakh crore allocation to MHA in budget|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/rs-1-85-lakh-crore-allocation-to-mha-in-budget/articleshow/89275279.cms|access-date=2024-02-02}}</ref>
| nongovernment     = 
| country           = India
| federal           = Yes
| map               = North East India.svg
| mapcaption        = 
| sizearea          = 
| sizepopulation    = 
| legaljuris        = 
| governingbody     = [[Ministry of Home Affairs (India)|Ministry of Home Affairs]]<!--Source:<ref>{{cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-assam-rifles-dual-control-structure-role-nagaland-violence-7658329/ |title=Explained: Assam Rifles' dual control structure, and its role|work=[[The Indian Express]]|first=Deeptiman|last=Tiwary|date=7 December 2021}}</ref>-->
| divname           = Northeast and Jammu & Kashmir India
| subdivname        = 
| constitution1     = Assam Rifles Act, 2006 <ref>{{cite news|url= https://lddashboard.legislative.gov.in/actsofparliamentfromtheyear/assam-rifles-act-2006 |title=THE ASSAM RIFLES ACT, 2006}}</ref>
| speciality1       = border
| speciality2       = paramilitary
| overviewtype      = 
| overviewbody      = 
| headquarters      = [[Shillong]], [[Meghalaya]], India
| hqlocmap          = 
| hqlocleft         = 
| hqloctop          = 
| hqlocmappoptitle  = 
| sworntype         = 
| sworn             = 
| unsworntype       = 
| unsworn           = 
| electeetype       = Minister
| minister1name     = [[Amit Shah]]
| minister1pfo      = [[Ministry of Home Affairs]] and Ministety of Defense (India)
| chief1name        = [[Lt Gen]] [[Vikas Lakhera]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/lt-gen-pradeep-chandran-nair-takes-over-as-dg-of-assam-rifles/articleshow/83139995.cms |title=Lt Gen Pradeep Chandran Nair takes over as DG of Assam Rifles |work=[[The Economic Times]]}}</ref>
| chief position    = [[Director General of Assam Rifles]]
| parent agency      = [[Central Para Military Forces (India)]]<ref name="annual budget" /><ref>{{cite web|title=Central paramilitary force{{!}} Ministry of Home Affairs|url=https://www.mha.gov.in/about-us/central-armed-police-forces|publisher=[[Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of defence (India)|Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministries of Defence]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180424093103/https://www.mha.gov.in/about-us/central-armed-police-forces |archive-date=24 April 2018 |access-date=1 November 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| anniversary1      = 
| award1            = 
| website           = {{URL|http://assamrifles.gov.in/}}
}}

The '''Assam Rifles''' ('''AR''') is a [[Paramilitary forces of India|paramilitary force of India]]<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 2020}}</ref> responsible for [[border security]], [[counter-insurgency]], and maintaining [[Law and order (politics)|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]] and in Jammu & Kashmir in lines of [[Rashtriya Rifles]]. Its primary duty involves guarding the [[Indo-Myanmar border]]. The AR is one of the Oldest Central Para-military Forces of India administered by the [[Ministry of Home Affairs (India)|Ministry of Home Affairs]] while operational control rests with Indian Army. As a central paramilitary force, its recruitment, perks, [[Police ranks and insignia of India|promotions]], and retirement policies are governed by Assam Rifles Regulations.<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> Approximately 80 percent of the officers are deputed from the Army, while the remaining are drawn from the 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 2019}}</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 2018}}</ref> The AR is commanded by the [[Director General of the Assam Rifles]] (DG AR), 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 2012}}</ref>

The AR is often nicknamed "Sentinels of the 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 the fertile plains of [[Assam]] against unruly [[Tribes of Assam|tribes]]. Its scope increased with the expansion of [[British Raj]] in [[Northeast India]], and it was used against [[Insurgency in Northeast India|insurgencies in the region]]. The force was redesignated 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=978-1-00-007435-2|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 2019}}</ref> Its operational control was transferred to the Indian Army after the [[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 2019}}</ref> It came under the administration of Ministry of Home Affairs in 1965, with the Army retaining operational control.<ref name="TOI" />

Throughout its history, the Assam Rifles have served in various conflicts and theaters, including [[World War I]] by serving in Europe and the [[Middle East]], and [[World War II]], where they served mainly in [[Burma]]. After the [[Annexation of Tibet by the People's Republic of China|Chinese annexation of Tibet]], the AR were tasked with manning Assam's section of the [[China India border|Tibetan border]]. They were also instrumental in maintaining law and order in [[Arunachal Pradesh]].

As of the 2019–2020 report of the Ministry of Home Affairs, there are 46 battalions in the 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 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310015024/http://assamrifles.net/site/aboutus.htm |archive-date=10 March 2009}}</ref><ref name="mhagovin">{{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 upholding internal security under the control of the army through the conduct of [[counterinsurgency]] and border security operations, provision of aid to civilians in times of emergency, and the facilitation of [[communications]], medical assistance and education in remote areas.{{sfn|Sharma|2008}} In times of war they can also be used as a combat force to secure rear areas if needed. Since 2002, the force has had 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>