Security of India and challenges from external and internal threats is a topic of high importance which makes the understanding of security forces important.
Indian Armed Forces, which consists of Defense Forces, Paramilitary Forces, and Strategic Forces Command plays a major role in ensuring national security.
Various Security Forces and Agencies and Their Mandate – a topic for GS Mains Paper 3 – is discussed in detail in another post.
Security Forces
Security Forces in India can be broadly divided into two –
- Indian Armed Force
- Central Armed Police Force (CAPF)
Security Forces Dealing with External Threats
The defence forces (Indian Armed Forces) are the primary force responsible for the security of the country, and they come under the authority of the Ministry of Defense. Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) aids in combating external threats (they mainly manage internal security issues) but are managed by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Indian Armed Force
The defense forces are divided into four sub-heads.
Also read: Directed Energy Weapons
Security Forces Dealing with Internal Threats
There are many divisions of the Central Armed Police Force, which deal with internal threats.
Central Armed Police Force (CAPF)
- Assam Rifles (AR)
- Border Security Force (BSF)
- Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)
- Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
- Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)
- National Security Guard (NSG)
- Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)
Paramilitary Forces of India
The term Paramilitary forces is not formally used. Informally it is used when we talk about:
- Indian Coast Guard Personnel – Indian Armed Force
- Assam Rifles (AR) – CAPF
- Special Frontier Force (SFF) – Intelligence
Central Police Organisation
- Intelligence Bureau
- Central Bureau of Investigation
- Bureau of Police Research & Development. (BPRD)
- National Crime Records Bureau
- National Investigation Agency
- Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, Hyderabad.
- North Eastern Police Academy, Shillong.
- National Institute of Criminology & Forensic Science. (NICFS)
India’s Intelligence and Investigation Agencies
- Intelligence Bureau(IB) – Internal Intelligence.
- Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) – External Intelligence – Similar to the CIA of the US.
- National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO).
- Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).
- Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT).
- National Technical Research Organisation.
- Defense Intelligence Agency.
- Joint Cipher Bureau.
- Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.
- All India Radio Monitoring Service.
- Signals Intelligence Directorate.
- Aviation Research Centre.
- Directorate of Air Intelligence.
- Directorate of Navy Intelligence.
- Directorate of Income Tax (Intelligence and Criminal Investigation).
- Directorate General of Income Tax Investigation.
- National Investigation Agency – Central agency to combat terrorism.
- Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) – Similar to the FBI of the US.
Other law enforcement agencies:
- Directorate of Enforcement (DE).
- Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI).
- Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
- Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).
Can a military person take premature retirement from service after serving for 20 years and apply for IAS ? will his age be considered as current age (say 42) minus the length of service (say 20) i.e. 42 -20 = 22 (age considered for applying for IAS)
Respected Indian Air Force recruiters,
In Indian Air force there is no facility to candidate to apply Flying & Technical Ground Duty branches if the qualification is SSC(10th Std.) + Technical Diploma in Engineering + Bachelor’s Degree.
There is requirement of Marks of HSC(12th Std.)
Please allow to candidates with Technical Diploma Marks (instead / as like) HSC marks
Thank You.
RPF is a not for paramilitary ??
RPF is a paramilitary fore of India
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Then why Indian Coast Guard not getting MSP but DSC, Territorial Army, are getting MSP
Why rpf is not in the list ?
Assam rifles comes under paramilitary not in capf.
Hello Vivek. As per Government Policy, Defence Personnel after take premature retirement is eligible to apply for next 5 years from the date of retirement.