Paramilitary forces of India

Paramilitary Forces of India refer to a group of 10 armed organisations responsible for supporting the Indian military and ensuring internal security.^[1]

List of paramilitary forces

From 1986 to 2011 the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) were considered as Central Police Organisations (CPOs).^[2] However, as per their respective acts they all are Armed Police Forces.^[2][3]

The paramilitary forces are made up of:^[1]

• Central Armed Police Forces^[4]
  • Border Guarding Forces
    • Assam Rifles (AR)
    • Border Security Force (BSF)
    • Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)
    • Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)
  • Special Task Force
    • National Security Guard (NSG)
  • Forces for Internal Security
    • Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)
    • Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
• Railway Protection Force (RPF)
• Special Frontier Force (SFF)
• Special Protection Group (SPG)

Paramilitary Forces[1]
Paramilitary force	Active Strength	Governing Body	Operational area	Role
Assam Rifles	63,747[5]	Ministry of Home Affairs (administrative) Ministry of Defence (operational)[6]	Northeast India, India–Myanmar border	Border guard
Border Security Force	257,363[5]	Ministry of Home Affairs	India–Pakistan border and India–Bangladesh border[7]	Border guard
Central Industrial Security Force	144,418[5]		Industries, public sector undertakings, space installations, airports, seaports and Delhi Metro	Protection and security of operational areas
Central Reserve Police Force	313,678[5]		All India Force	Counter-insurgency and general elections
Indo-Tibetan Border Police	89,432[5]		India–China border[8]	Border guard
National Security Guard	10,000		Active Special operations in India	Counter-terrorism
Sashastra Seema Bal	97,244[9]		India–Nepal border and India–Bhutan border[10]	Border guard
Railway Protection Force	76,563	Ministry of Railways	Indian Railways	Protection and security of operational areas
Special Frontier Force	10,000[9]	Cabinet Secretariat[11]		Covert operations
Special Protection Group	3,000[9]		Security of Prime Minister of India	Executive Protection
Total	1,065,445

Ranks and insignia

Officers

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Assam Rifles[12][13] v t e					Director-general[note 1] - Special director-general[note 2] - Additional director-general[note 3] -
							Inspector general[note 4] -		Deputy inspector-general[note 5] -		Commandant[note 6] -		Second-in-command[note 7] -		Deputy commandant[note 8] -		Assistant commandant[note 9] -
Border Security Force v t e					Director-general - Special director-general - Additional director-general -
							Inspector general -		Deputy inspector-general -		Commandant -		Second-in-command -		Deputy commandant -		Assistant commandant -
Central Industrial Security Force[14][15] v t e					Director-general - Special director-general - Additional director-general -
							Inspector general -		Deputy inspector-general -		Senior commandant -		Commandant -		Deputy commandant -		Assistant commandant -
Central Reserve Police Force[16][17] v t e					Director-general - Special director-general - Additional director-general -
							Inspector general -		Deputy inspector-general -		Commandant -		Second-in-command -		Deputy commandant -		Assistant commandant -
Indo-Tibetan Border Police[18] v t e
					Director-general -	Additional director-general -	Inspector general -		Deputy inspector-general -	Additional deputy inspector-general -	Commandant -		Second-in-command -		Deputy commandant -		Assistant commandant -
National Security Guard[19] v t e
					Director general -	Additional director general -	Inspector general -		Deputy inspector general -		Group commander -		Second in command -		Deputy commander -		Team commander -
Railway Protection Force v t e
					Director general	Additional director general	Inspector general/ Principal chief security commissioner		Deputy inspector general/ Chief security commissioner		Senior commandant/ Senior divisional security commissioner		Commandant/ Divisional security commissioner				Assistant commandant/ Assistant security commissioner
Sashastra Seema Bal[20] v t e
					Director-general -	Additional director-general -	Inspector general -		Deputy inspector-general -		Commandant -		Second-in-command -		Deputy commandant -		Assistant commandant -
Special Frontier Force v t e
									Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		First Lieutenant		Second Lieutenant
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers

Personnel below officer rank

Rank group	Subordinate Officers (SO)										Non commissioned officers (NCO)																		Constables
Assam Rifles[21] v t e																													No insignia
	Subedar major सूबेदार मेजर						Subedar सूबेदार		Naib subedar नायब सूबेदार		Warrant officer -						Havildar[note 10] हवलदार												Rifleman[note 11] -
Border Security Force v t e																													No insignia
	Subedar major सूबेदार मेजर						Inspector निरीक्षक	Sub-inspector उप निरीक्षक	Assistant sub-inspector सहायक उप निरीक्षक		Head constable हवलदार																		Constable -
Central Industrial Security Force[14][15][22] v t e																													No insignia
							Inspector निरीक्षक	Sub inspector उप निरीक्षक	Assistant sub-inspector सहायक उप निरीक्षक		Head constable हवलदार																		Constable -
Central Reserve Police Force[16][17] v t e																													No insignia
	Subedar major सूबेदार मेजर						Inspector निरीक्षक	Sub-inspector उप निरीक्षक	Assistant sub-inspector सहायक उप निरीक्षक		Head constable हवलदार																		Constable -
Indo-Tibetan Border Police[18] v t e																													No insignia
	Subedar major सूबेदार मेजर						Subedar/Inspector सूबेदार/निरीक्षक	Sub inspector उप निरीक्षक			Head constable हवलदार												Naik नायक				Lance naik लांस नायक		Constable -
National Security Guard[19] v t e																													No insignia
	Subedar major सूबेदार मेजर						Assistant commander-1 -	Assistant commander-2 -	Assistant commander-3 -		Ranger grade I -												Ranger grade II -						Combatised tradesmen -
Railway Protection Force v t e																													No insignia
							Inspector निरीक्षक	Sub inspector उप निरीक्षक	Assistant sub-inspector सहायक उप निरीक्षक		Head constable हवलदार																		Constable -
Sashastra Seema Bal[20] v t e																													No insignia
	Subedar major सूबेदार मेजर						Inspector निरीक्षक	Sub inspector उप निरीक्षक	Assistant sub-inspector सहायक उप निरीक्षक		Head constable हवलदार												Naik नायक				Lance naik लांस नायक		Constable -
Special Frontier Force v t e																													No insignia
	Subedar Major						Subedar		Naib Subedar		Havildar												Naik				Lance Naik		Sepoy
Rank group	Subordinate Officers (SO)										Non commissioned officers (NCO)																		Constables

See also

• Indian Armed Forces
• Central Armed Police Forces
• State Armed Police Forces
• Special forces of India
• Police ranks and insignia of India
• Indian Police Service
• Indian Army ranks and insignia
• Indian Navy ranks and insignia
• Indian Air Force ranks and insignia

Notes

1. Equivalent to the rank lieutenant general (लेफ्टिनेंट - जनरल)
2. Equivalent to the rank lieutenant general (लेफ्टिनेंट - जनरल)
3. Equivalent to the rank lieutenant general (लेफ्टिनेंट - जनरल)
4. Equivalent to the rank major general (मेजर - जनरल)
5. Equivalent to the rank brigadier (ब्रिगेडियर)
6. Equivalent to the rank colonel (कर्नल)
7. Equivalent to the rank lieutenant colonel (लेफ्टिनेंट - कर्नल)
8. Equivalent to the rank major (मेजर)
9. Equivalent to the rank captain (कप्तान)
10. Equivalent to the rank head constable (-)
11. Equivalent to the rank constable (-)