Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate

There are basically two types of central security forces (after reclassification in 2011), viz., CAPF and CPMF.

Central Armed Police Forces

CAPFs stand for Central Armed Police Forces. This new terminology was introduced in 2011 on the request of the Army. Presently the CAPF comprise the following eight police forces of the Union government.

• (a) BSF (e) SSB (b) CRPF (f) NSG (c) ITBP (g) SPG (d) CISF (h) RPF
• The first six, viz., BSF , CRPF , ITBP , CISF , SSB and NSG are under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), while the SPG is under the Cabinet Secretariat and the RPF is under the Ministry of Railways. They all are headed by senior IPS officers. Most of the higher posts in these five are filled through deputation by IPS officers. These forces assist and report to MHA. Earlier they were known as Central Paramilitary Forces (CPMF). BSF , SSB, ITBP are basically border guarding forces while the CRPF is for internal security and election duties.
• Border Security Force (BSF):
  • The Border Security Force (BSF) is a border guarding force. It was established on December 1, 1965. Its primary role is to guard India’s international borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh during peacetime and also prevent trans-border  crime, BSF is headed by an IPS officer and is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
  • The Indo-Pakistan war of 1965 demonstrated the inadequacies of the existing border management system and led to the formation of the Border Security Force as a unified central agency with the specific mandate of guarding India’s international boundaries with Pakistan.
  • The BSF had trained, supported and formed a part of “MuktiVahini. The BSF had played an important role in the liberation of Bangladesh. 
  • Some battalions of BSF are also deployed with CRPF in Naxal affected region of Dandakaranya and Jammu and Kashmir.
  • The air wing of the BSF also played a constructive role in the relief work in Uttarakhand during the Kedarnath disaster in 2013. Two battalions of the BSF , located at Kolkata and Guwahati, are designated as the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
  • Role of BSF During Peacetime
    • To promote sense of security among the people living in the border areas 
    • To prevent trans-border crimes, unauthorised entry into or exit from the territory of India 
    • To prevent smuggling and any other illegal activities on the border
    • Anti-infiltration duties
    • To collect trans-border intelligence
  • Role of BSF in Times of War
    • Holding ground in assigned sectors 
    • Limited aggressive action against Central Armed Police or irregular forces of the enemy
    • Maintenance of law and order in enemy territory administered under the Army’s control
    • Guarding of prisoners of war camps 
    • Acting as guides to the army in border areas
    • Assistance in control of refugees
    • Provision of escorts
    • Performing special tasks connected with intelligence, including raids 
• Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
  • The CRPF is the largest Central Armed Police Force in the country.
  • It came into existence as the Crown Representative’s Police on 27th July 1939. After India’s independence, it became the Central Reserve Police and since then, the Force has achieved remarkable growth in strength and capabilities.
  • It functions ander the aegis of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) of the Government of India. The CRPF is headed by an IPS Officer.
  • Role The CRPF’s primary role lies in assisting the State/Union Territories in police operations to maintain law and order contain insurgency and carry out anti-Naxal operations. The CRPF also plays an important role in conducting elections across the country. Besides, it also performs guard duties at some of the vital installations and buildings, including the shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi in Jammu, and other religious shrines.
  • Some specialized formations of CRPF are as follows: 
    • The Rapid Action Force (RAF): It is a specialised 10 battalion wing of CRPF . It was formed in October 1992, to deal with communal riots and related civil unrest. It is a specialized force with multi-ethnic composition and better mobility for swift action to control communal riots.
    • Commando Battalions for Resolute Action (COBRA) Bn: There are 10 specialised battalions named COBRA and these battalions became operational during 2008-09. They are trained and equipped for commando operations especially against Left Wing Extremism and are capable of undertaking intelligence based quick operations.
    • Special Duty Group (SDG) and Parliament Duty Group (PDG):
      • SDG is an elite CRPF unit tasked to provide armed protection to SPG protected places. It comprises of personnel drawn from various units of CRPF . SDG members are trained in combating nuclear and bio-chemical attacks, rescue operations and behavioural management.
      • PDG is also an elite CRPF unit tasked to provide armed protection to Parliament House. The creation of the PDG was mooted in the aftermath of the 2001 Parliament terror attack. It comprises 1,540 personnel drawn from various units of CRPF. PDG members are trained in combating nuclear and bio-chemical attacks, rescue operations and behavioural management.
• Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)
  • The ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police) is a border guarding force. ITBP is headed by an IPS officer and is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). ITBP was established on October 24, 1962 for security along India’s border with the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It was raised with 4 service Batallions in the wake of Indo-China conflict in 1962. Presently, battalions of ITBP are deployed on border guarding duties from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Diphu La in Arunachal Pradesh, covering 3,488 km of the Indo-China Border.
  • Manned border posts are at altitudes as high as 21,000 feet in the western, middle and eastern sectors of the border. ITBP is a mountain trained force and most of the officers and men are professionally trained mountaineers and skiers. ITBP is a multi-dimensional force with primarily five functions:
    • Vigil on the northern borders, detection and prevention of border violations and promotion of the sense of security among the local populace
    • Check illegal immigration and trans-border smuggling 
    • Provide security to sensitive installations and threatened VIPS
    • Restore and preserve order in any area in the event of disturbance
    • To maintain the peace in the country.
  • The border posts manned by ITBP are exposed to high velocity storms, snow blizzards, avalanches and landslides, besides the hazards of high altitude and extreme cold, where temperature dips up to minus 40 degrees Celsius.
  • The ITBP has recently taken on disaster management role. Being the first responder for natural disaster in the Himalayas, the ITBP was the first to establish 08 Regional Response Centres in Himachal Pradesh, Utaranchal and the North-east. It has carried out numerous rescue and relief operations in various disaster situations, which took place in their areas of responsibility as well as other parts of the country.
  • ITBP commando units also provide security to the embassy and consulates of India in Afghanistan.
  • The force has also been providing security to pilgrims during the annual Kailash Mansarovar Yatra since 1981. ITBP provides communication, security and medical cover to the yatris.
  • ITBP played a critical role in the relief operation in Uttarakhand in 2013. It also  conducts a large number of civic action programmes in remote border and terrorist affected areas to provide free and expert medical, health and hygiene care to the civilian population in remote villages. 
• Central Industrial Security Force (CISF):
  • The CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) provides security cover to 300 industrial units and other establishments located all over India. It was raised in the year 1969.
  • Industrial sectors like atomic power plants, space installations, mints, oil fields and refineries, major ports, the Delhi metro, heavy engineering and steel plants, barrages, fertilizer units, airports and hydroelectric/thermal power plants owned and controlled by the Central PSUs, and currency note presses producing Indian currency are protected by the CISF.
  • CISF is headed by an IPS officer and is under the administrative control of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
  • With the globalisation and liberalisation of the economy, CISF has become a premier multi-skilled security agency of the country mandated to provide security to major critical infrastructure installations of the country in diverse regions including terrorist and Naxal affected areas.
  • The Indian Parliament on February 25, 2009 authorised the provision of Central Industrial Security Force to provide security to private and cooperative establishments across the country for a fee with the passage of the CISP (Amendment) Act, 2008. The Act also provides for deployment of CISF to protect Indian missions abroad and its participation in the UN peacekeeping operations.
    • The CISF started providing security to the Infosys Bangalore campus in 2009. Infosys Mysore, Reliance Refinery, Jamnagar and the Delhi Metro Airport Express Line are also placed under CISF cover.
• Sashastra Seema Bal(SSB):
  • The SSB (Sashastra Seema Bal) is a border guarding Force. Its primary role is to guard India’s international border with Nepal and Bhutan. 
  • SSB is headed by an IPS officer and is under the administrative control of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
  • It was formerly known as the Special Service Bureau. SSB (Special Service Bureau) was set up in early 1963 in the wake of the Sino-Indian War. The primary tasks of the force were to provide armed support for RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) and to inculcate feelings of national belonging in the border population and develop their capabilities for resistance through a continuous process of motivation, training, development, welfare programmes and activities in the then NEFA, North Assam (northern areas of Assam state), North Bengal (northern areas of West Bengal state), hills of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh.
  • SSB was renamed as ‘Sashastra Seema Bal’ in accordance with its new role and came under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs in the year 2001. This was done after the Kargil War when ‘one border one force’ concept was adopted. SSB was assigned the duty of manning the 1,751 km long Indo-Nepal Border in 2001. In March 2004, SSB was assigned the task of guarding the 699 km stretch of Indo-Bhutan border along the states of Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
  • SSB is also the first border guarding force which has decided to recruit women battalions.
  • SSB is also engaged in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and anti-naxal operations in Jharkhand and Bihar. It is also performing internal security duties, i.e. election duties and law and order duties, in different parts of India.
  • The role of SSB comprises the following:
    • To promote sense of security among the people living in the border areas 
    • To prevent trans-border crimes and unauthorised entry or exit from the territory of India
    • To prevent smuggling and other illegal activities
• National Security Guard (NSG):
  • The National Security Guard (NSG) is a special force set up in 1984 as a Federal Contingency Deployment Force that has primarily been utilised for counter-terrorism activities and was created by the Cabinet Secretariat under the National Security Guard Act of the Indian Parliament in 1986. It works completely within the Central Armed Police Forces structure.
  • NSG is a 100% deputation force and all personnel posted are on deputation from Army, CAPs, State police and other organisation.
  • Its primary task is to engage and neutralise terrorist threats in specific situations and undertake counter hijack and hostage rescue missions. They are also assigned the task of providing mobile security protection to VVIPS.
  • The NSG is an elite force providing a second line of defence to the nation. They have played a pivotal role in safeguarding the unity of India and have commendably foiled attempts of anti-national elements to tear apart the social fabric of the country. The NSG has maintained an edge over terrorist outfits in the possession of latest technology. They are considered among the best special operations units in the world.
  • NSG is headed by an IPS Officer and is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
  • The NSG’s specific goals include:
    • Neutralisation of terrorist threats
    • Handling hijacking situations in air and on land
    • Bomb disposal (search, detection and neutralisation of IEDS)
    • Engaging and neutralising terrorists in specific situations
    • Hostage rescue
  • NSG performed Operation Black Tornado and Operation Cyclone to flush out terrorists and rescue hostages after multiple attacks across Mumbai in the 26/11 attack in 2008.
  • Four new NSG hubs were established in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata after this incident.
• Special Protection Group (SPG):
  • The Special Protection Group (SPG) is the executive protection agency of the Government of India. It is responsible for the protection of the Prime Minister of India. The Force is under the control of the Cabinet Secretariat. The force was established in 1985 after the assassination of Mrs Indira Gandhi, erstwhile Prime Minister.
  • It provides proximate security to the protected, including protection provided from close quarters, journey on foot road, rail, aircraft, watercraft or any other means of transport, and includes places of functions, engagements, residence, etc.
• Railway Protection Force (RPF):
  • The Railway Protection Force (RPF) of the Indian Railways is entrusted with the task of protecting the lifeline of the country namely the Indian Railways.
  • The duties of the Railway Protection Force include: 
    • To engage in all conducive means for the free movement of the railways 
    • Protection and safeguarding of railway property
    • Protection and safeguarding of passengers, their belongings and passenger areas
  • Originally the force was called Watch & Ward and it functioned under the administrative control of railway administration. Later on, this force was renamed as Railway Protection Force and its members were provided with the power to arrest without warrant for the unlawful possession of railway property. The term railway property included only the properties owned by the railway administration. In due course of time, the definition for the term Railway Property was extended and it included the properties owned by, or in the charge of or entrusted with the railways. The offenders are booked under the Railway Property (Unlawful Possession) Act 1966 which is shortly known as RP (UP) Act 1966. Now the Railway Protection Force has a separate administrative system and functions under the general supervision of the Railway Administration.

CENTRAL PARAMILITARY FORCES (CPMFS) Assam Rifles and Indian Coast Guard are the main CPMFS after reclassification. 

• Assam Rifles
  • Assam Rifles is fondly known as ‘Friends of the North East People’.
  • It is the oldest Para Military Force in the Country with its Headquarter at Shillong. The Force is completely deployed in the North East and is mandated for dual role of maintaining internal security in the North East and guarding the Indo-Myanmar border.
  • It is led and head by Army officers. It assists Indian armed forces but reports to MHA. It is under administrative control of MHA but operates under Army.
• Indian Coast Guard
  • Its mission is the protection of India’s maritime interests and enforcement of maritime law; with jurisdiction over the territorial waters of India, including its contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone.
  • It operates under the Ministry of Defence.
  • After the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the government initiated a program to expand the ICG force, assets and infrastructure.

SECURITY AGENCIES AND THEIR MANDATES

• Intelligence Bureau (IB):
  • The Intelligence Bureau (IB) is India’s internal intelligence agency and reputedly the world’s oldest intelligence agency. It was recast as the Central Intelligence Bureau in 1947 under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
  • The Bureau comprises employees from law enforcement agencies, mostly from the Indian Police Service (IPS) and the military. However, the Director of Intelligence Bureau (DIB) has always been an IPS officer.
    • In addition to domestic intelligence responsibilities, the IB is particularly entrusted with intelligence collection in border areas, following the 1951 recommendations of the Himmatsinhji Committee (also known as the North and North-east Border Committee). Prior to 1947, this task was entrusted to military intelligence organisations.
  • All spheres of human activity within India and in the neighbourhood are allocated to the charter of duties of the Intelligence Bureau. The IB is used to garner intelligence from within India and also execute counter-intelligence and counter-terrorism tasks.
    • The Intelligence Bureau reportedly has a lot of successes to its credit, but operations conducted by the IB are rarely declassified. Due to the extreme secrecy surrounding the agency, there is little concrete information available about it or its activities.
  • The IB was initially India’s internal and external intelligence agency. After the Sino-Indian War of 1962, and later on, India-Pakistan War in 1965, it was bifurcated in 1968 and entrusted with the task of internal intelligence only. IB is the main coordinating agency regarding counter-terrorism. It coordinates with various states’ police all over the country.
    • The IB has had mixed success in counter-terrorism. It was reported in 2008 that the IB had been successful in busting terror modules. It alerted the police before the Hyderabad blasts and gave repeated warnings of a possible attack on Mumbai through the sea before the November 2008 Mumbai attacks.
• National Investigation Agency (NIA):
  • The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is a federal agency established by the Indian government to combat terror in India. It acts as the central counterterrorism law enforcement agency. The agency is empowered to deal with terror related crimes across states without special permission from the states.
  • The Agency came into existence with the enactment of the National Investigation Agency Act 2008 by the Parliament on December 31, 2008. NIA was created after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks as the need for a central agency to combat terrorism were realised. 
  • The Agency has been empowered to conduct investigation and prosecution of offenses under the Acts specified in the Schedule of the NIA Act.
    • A State Government may request the Central Government to hand over the investigation of a case to the NIA, provided the case has been registered for the offenses as contained in the schedule to the NIA Act. Central Government can also order NIA to take over investigation of any scheduled offense anywhere in India.
    • Officers of the NIA who are drawn from the Indian Police Service and the Indian Revenue Service have all powers, privileges and liabilities which the police officers have in connection with investigation of any offense.
  • In recent times, the NIA has had big successes in busting an Indian Mujahiddin (IM) module and arresting its key functionaries.
• Multi Agency Centre (MAC):
  • MAC is a multi-agency centre for counter-terrorism whose mandate is to share terrorism related inputs on a day-to-day basis. Multi Agency Centre (MAC) was created at Delhi and Subsidiary Multi Agency Centres (SMACS) in various states comprising representatives from various security agencies, for streamlining intelligence efforts.
  • Later, the Union Home Minister reviewed the security situation and issued Multi Agency Centre (functions, powers and duties) Order, 2008 on December 31, 2008.
    • MAC-SMAC is functioning since 2002 and has been reoperationalised with effect from 2009.
    • As a follow up of the above order, 24×7 Control Rooms have been set up at Multi Agency Centre (MAC) at New Delhi and the Subsidiary Multi Agency Centres (SMACS) at State Level and at Headquarters of Intelligence Wings of other agencies to ensure timely sharing of information and better co-ordination between intelligence agencies.
• National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID):
  • The National Intelligence Grid or NATGRID is an integrated intelligence grid that will link the databases of several departments and ministries of the Government of India so as to collect comprehensive patterns of intelligence that can be readily accessed by intelligence agencies.
  • It was first proposed in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on Mumbai in 2008 and was to be operational in 2013 but is yet to happen.
  • NATGRID is an intelligence sharing network that collates data from the standalone databases of various agencies and ministries of the Indian government. It is a counter-terrorism measure that collects and collates a host of information from government databases, including tax and bank account details, credit card transactions, visa and immigration records and itineraries of rail and air travel.
    • This combined data will be made available to 11 central agencies-Research and Analysis Wing, the Intelligence Bureau, Central Bureau of Investigation, Financial Intelligence Unit, Central Board of Direct Taxes, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Enforcement Directorate, Narcotics Control Bureau, Central Board of Excise and Customs and the Directorate General of Central Excise Intelligence.
  • Unlike the NCTC and the NIA which are central organisations, the NATGRID is essentially a tool that will enable security agencies to locate and obtain relevant information on terror suspects from pooled data of various organisations and services in the country. It will help identify, capture and prosecute terrorists and help preempt terrorist plots.
• The National Technical Research Organisation:
  • The National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) is a technical intelligence agency under the National Security Adviser in the Prime Minister’s Office, India. It was set up in 2004. It also includes National Institute of Cryptology Research and Development (NICRD), which is first of its kind in Asia.
  • The National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), originally known as the National Technical Facilities Organisation (NTFO), is a highly specialised technical intelligence gathering agency.
  • While the agency does not affect the working of technical wings of various intelligence agencies, including those of the Indian Armed Forces, it acts as a super-feeder agency for providing technical intelligence to other agencies on internal and external security.
  • The agency is under the control of India’s external intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing, although it remains autonomous to some degree. 
  • Functions:
    • The agency develops technology capabilities in aviation and remote sensing, data gathering and processing, cyber security, cryptology systems, strategic hardware and software development and strategic monitoring.
    • The National Critical Infrastructure Protection Centre, an agency under the control of National Technical Research Organisation, has been created to monitor, intercept and assess threats to crucial infrastructure and other vital installations from intelligence gathered using sensors and platforms which include satellites, underwater buoys, drones, VSAT-terminal locators and fiber optic cable nodal tap points.
    • NTRO also has access to data from Technology Experiment Satellite(TES), Cartosat-2A and Cartosat-2B besides two Radar Imaging Satellites namely RISAT-1 & RISAT-2.
• Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND):
  • FIU-IND was set by the Government of India in 2004 as the central national agency responsible for receiving, processing, analyzing and disseminating information relating to suspect financial transactions.
  • FIU-IND is also responsible for coordinating and strengthening efforts of national and international intelligence, investigation and enforcement agencies in pursuing global efforts against money laundering and related crimes.
  • FIU-IND is an independent body reporting directly to the Economic Intelligence Council (EIC) headed by the Finance Minister.
  • Functions:
    • The main function of FIU-IND is to receive cash/suspicious transaction reports, analyse them and, as appropriate, disseminate valuable financial information to intelligence/enforcement agencies and regulatory authorities. The functions of FIU-IND are: 
    • Collection of Information: Act as the central reception point for receiving Cash Transaction reports (CTRS), Cross Border Wire Transfer Reports (CBWTRS), Reports on Purchase or Sale of Immovable Property (IPRS) and Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRS) from various reporting entities.
    • Analysis of Information: Analyze received information in order to uncover patterns of transactions suggesting suspicion of money laundering and related crimes.
    • Sharing of Information: Share information with national intelligence/ law enforcement agencies, national regulatory authorities and foreign Financial Intelligence Units.
    • Act as Central Repository: Establish and maintain national database on cash transactions and suspicious transactions on the basis of reports received from reporting entities.
    • Coordination: Coordinate and strengthen collection and sharing of financial intelligence through an effective national, regional and global network to combat money laundering and related crimes. 
    • Research and Analysis: Monitor and identify strategic key areas on money laundering trends, typologies and developments.
• The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI):
  • It is an Indian intelligence agency. The Directorate is run by officers from Central Excise and Customs. The organisation runs on much smaller staff than other intelligence agencies such as IB or state police organisations.
  • Though its early days were committed to combating smuggling of gold, it now also addresses narcotics and economic crimes. DRI routinely makes Fake Indian Currency Note (FICN) seizures.
  • Charter of Duties of DRI:
    • Collection of intelligence about smuggling of contraband goods, narcotics, under-invoicing etc. through sources of India and abroad, including secret sources.
    • Analysis and dissemination of such intelligence to the field formations for action and working on such intelligence, where necessary. 
    • Keeping watch over important seizures and investigation cases. Associating or taking over the investigations which warrant specialized handling by the Directorate.
    • Guiding important investigation/prosecution cases. Keeping liaison with foreign countries, Indian Missions and Enforcement agencies abroad on anti-smuggling matters.
    • To keep liaison with C.B.I. and through them with the INTERPOL. To refer cases registered under the Customs Act to the Income Tax Department for action under the Income Tax Act.
    • To keep statistics of seizures and prices/rates etc. for watching trends of smuggling and supply required material to the ministry of Finance and other Ministries.
    • To study and suggest remedies for loopholes in law and procedures to combat smuggling.
• Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB):
  • The Government of India constituted the NARCOTICS CONTROL BUREAU on the 17th of March, 1986. The Bureau, subject to the supervision and control of the Central Government, exercises the powers and functions of the Central Government for taking measures with respect to:
    • Co-ordination authorities under the N.D.P .S. Act, Customs Act, Drugs and Cosmetics Act and any other law for the time being in force in connection with the enforcement provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985. 
    • Implementation of the obligation in respect of counter measures against illicit traffic under the various international conventions and protocols that are in force at present or which may be ratified or acceded to by India in future.
    • Assistance to concerned authorities in foreign countries and concerned international organisations to facilitate coordination and universal action for prevention and suppression of illicit traffic in these drugs and substances.
    • Coordination of actions taken by the other concerned Ministries, Departments and Organizations in respect of matters relating to drug abuse.
  • The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 which came into effect from the 14th November, 1985 made an express provision for constituting a Central Authority for the purpose of exercising the powers and functions of the Central Government under the Act.
  • The Narcotics Control Bureau is the apex coordinating agency.
  • The National Policy on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances is based on the Directive Principles, contained in Article 47 of the Indian Constitution, which direct the State to endeavour to bring about prohibition of the consumption, except for medicinal purposes, of intoxicating drugs injurious to health.
    • The government’s policy on the subject which flows from this constitutional provision is also guided by the international conventions on the subject. India is a signatory to the single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961, as amended by the 1972 Protocol, the Conventions on Psychotropic Substances, 1971 and the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988.
  • The broad legislative policy is contained in the three Central Acts, viz. Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and The Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988.
  • The responsibility of drug abuse control, which is a central function, is carried out through a number of Ministries, Departments and Organisations. These include the Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue which has the nodal co-ordination role as administrator of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 and the Prevention of illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988.
• National Disaster Response Force:
  • Two national calamities in quick succession in the form of Odisha Super Cyclone (1999) and Gujarat Earthquake (2001) brought about the realization of the need of having a specialist response mechanism at National Level to effectively respond to disasters. This realization led to the enactment of the DM Act- 2005.
  • The NDMA was constituted to lay down the policies, plans and guidelines for disaster management. The DM Act has made the statutory provisions for the constitution of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for the purpose of specialized response to natural and man-made disasters.
  • Accordingly, in 2006 NDRF was constituted with 10 Batallions taken from BSF , CRPF , ITBP, CISF, and SSB.
  • The force is gradually emerging as the most visible and vibrant multidisciplinary, multi-skilled, high-tech, stand alone force capable of dealing with all types of natural and man-made disasters.
  • The DM Act, 2005 envisages a paradigm shift from the erstwhile response centric syndrome to a proactive, holistic and integrated management of disasters with emphasis on prevention, mitigation and preparedness. This national vision inter alia, aims at inculcating a culture of preparedness among all stakeholders.
  • NDRF has proved its importance in achieving this vision by highly skilled rescue and relief operations, regular and intensive training and re-training, capacity building and familiarization exercises within the area of responsibility of respective NDRF Bns, carrying out mock drills and joint exercises with the various stakeholders. They claim to be the only dedicated disaster response force of the world.
  • Role and Mandate of NDRF:
    • Specialized response during disasters
    • Proactive deployment during impending disaster situations
    • To acquire and continually upgrade its existing training and skills 
    • Liaison, Reconnaissance, Rehearsals and Mock Drills
    • Impart basic and operational level training to State Response Forces (Police, Civil Defence and Home Guards) vis-à-vis Community- All NDRF Bns are actively engaged in various:
      • Community Capacity Building Programme
      • Public Awareness Campaign 
      • Exhibitions: Posters, Pamphlets, literatures
• The Special Frontier Force:
  • The Special Frontier Force (SFF) is a paramilitary special force of India created on 14 November 1962. Its main goal originally was to conduct covert operations behind Chinese lines in the event of another Sino-Indian War.
  • Based in Chakrata, Uttarakhand, the force was put under the direct supervision of the Intelligence Bureau, and later, the Research and Analysis Wing, India’s external intelligence agency.
• Research and Analysis Wing:
  • The Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW or RAW) is the primary foreign intelligence agency of India. It was established in September 21, 1968 following the intelligence failures of the Sino-Indian and Indo-Pakistani wars, which persuaded the Government of India to create a specialised, independent agency dedicated to foreign intelligence gathering; previously, both domestic and foreign intelligence had been the purview of the Intelligence Bureau.
  • During the nine-year tenure of its first Director, Rameshwar Nath Kao, R&AW quickly came to prominence in the global intelligence community, playing a role in major events such as the independence of Bangladesh and the accession of the state of Sikkim to India.
  • The agency’s primary function is gathering foreign intelligence, engaging in counter-terrorism, promoting counter-proliferation, advising Indian policy makers, and advancing India’s foreign strategic interests.
  • It is also involved in the security of India’s nuclear programme.
  • The head of RAW is designated “Secretary (Research)” in the Cabinet Secretariat, and is under the direct command of the Prime Minister and reports on an administrative basis to the Cabinet Secretary of India, who reports to the Prime Minister.
  • Mandate: The present R&AW objectives include, and are not limited to:
    • Monitoring the political, military, economic and scientific developments in countries which have direct bearing on India’s national security and the formulation of its foreign policy.
    • Moulding international public opinion and influence foreign governments with the help of the strong and vibrant Indian diaspora.
    • Covert operations to safeguard India’s National interests.
    • Anti-terror Operations and neutralising terror elements posing a threat to India.
    • In the past, following the Sino-Indian war of 1962 and due to India’ volatile relations with Pakistan, R&AW’s objectives had also consisted of the following:
      • To watch the development of international communism and the schism between the two big communist nations, the Soviet Union and China. As with other countries, both these powers had direct access to the communist parties in India.
      • To control and limit the supply of military hardware to Pakistan, mostly from European countries, America and more importantly from China.
• Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI):
  • The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the foremost investigative police agency in India. It is under the jurisdiction of the Government of India.
  • The CBI is involved in major criminal probes, and is the Interpol agency in India.
  • The CBI was established in 1941 as the Special Police Establishment, tasked with domestic security. It was renamed the Central Bureau of Investigation on 1 April 1963. Its motto is “Industry, Impartiality, Integrity”.
  • Agency headquarters are located in the Indian capital, New Delhi, with field offices located in major cities throughout India.
  • The CBI is overseen by the Department of Personnel and Training of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions of the Union Government, headed by a Union Minister who reports directly to the Prime Minister.
  • While analogous in structure to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States of America, the CBI’s powers and functions are limited to specific crimes by Acts (primarily the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946).
  • The CBI established a reputation of India’s foremost investigative agency with the resources for complicated cases, and it was requested to assist the investigation of crimes such as murder, kidnapping and terrorism. The Supreme Court and a number of high courts in the country also began assigning such investigations to the CBI on the basis of petitions filed by aggrieved parties.
  • In 1987, the CBI was divided into two divisions: the Anti-Corruption Division and the Special Crimes Division.
  • The CBI is headed by a Director, an IPS officer with a rank of Director General of Police. The director is selected based on the CVC Act 2003, and has a two-year term.
  • The amended Delhi Special Police Establishment Act empowers a committee to appoint the director of CBI. The committee consists of the following people:
    • Prime Minister – chairperson
    • Leader of Opposition – member
    • Chief Justice of India or a Supreme Court Judge recommended by the Chief Justice – member
  • While making recommendations, the committee considers the views of the outgoing director. 
  • The legal powers of investigation of the CBI are derived from the DSPE Act 1946, which confers powers, duties, privileges and liabilities on the Delhi Special Police Establishment (CBI) and officers of the Union Territories.
  • The central government may extend to any area (except Union Territories) the powers and jurisdiction of the CBI for investigation, subject to the consent of the government of the concerned state.
  • Under the Act, the CBI can investigate only with notification by the central government.
  • CBI and its relationship with State Police:
    • Maintaining law and order is a state responsibility as ‘police’ is a State subject, and the jurisdiction to investigate crime lies with the state police exclusively.
    • With respect to states, the CBI being a Union subject, may investigate:
      • Offences against central-government employees, or concerning affairs of the central government and employees of central public-sector undertakings and public-sector banks
      • Cases involving the financial interests of the central government
      • Breaches of central laws enforceable by the Government of India 
      • Major fraud or embezzlement; multi-state organised crime 
      • Multi-agency or international cases
    • CBI can also investigate important cases related to state police with the concurrence of the concerned state government.
• Enforcement Directorate:
  • The Directorate General of Economic Enforcement is a law enforcement agency and economic intelligence agency responsible for enforcing economic laws and fighting economic crime in India.
  • It is part of the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance. It comprises officers of the Indian Revenue Service, Indian Police Service and the Indian Administrative Service.
  • The origin of this Directorate goes back to 1st May, 1956, when an ‘Enforcement Unit’ was formed, in Department of Economic Affairs, for handling Exchange Control Laws violations under Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947. In the year 1957, this Unit was renamed as ‘Enforcement Directorate’.
  • The prime objective of the Enforcement Directorate is the enforcement of two key Acts of the Government of India namely, the Foreign Exchange Management Act 1999 (FEMA) and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002 (PMLA).
• Indian Armed Forces:
  • The Indian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of India.
  • It consists of three professional uniformed services: the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force.
  • The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. The Indian Armed Forces are under the management of the Ministry of Defence (MolD) of the Government of India. With strength of over 1.4 million active personnel, it is the world’s 2nd largest military force and has the world’s largest volunteer army.
  • Headquarters of all the three armed forces-the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force are situated in Delhi.
  • The Armed Forces have four main tasks: 
    • To assert the territorial integrity of India
    • To defend the country if attacked by a foreign nation
    • To support the civil community in case of disasters (e.g. flooding)
    • To participate in United Nations peacekeeping operations in consonance with India’s commitment to the United Nations Charter.