How Many Defence Forces are there in India, Its Types & Importance

As a progressive and diverse country, India faces several external and internal adversities. As per Global Firepower Index 2023 reports, Indian Defence Force ranks in 4th position after the US, Russia, and China, respectively. 

India, a country with over 140 crore population, is about to overtake China (the most populated country in the world) in a few years. Considering this, there has been a higher budgetary allowance in the Union Budget 2023 to make the defence forces of India grander and more vigorous. 

The Defence Forces are India's wall again external and internal threats. Depending on the needs and demands of the huge population and the nature of warfare, Indian Defence Force is divided into several sub-divisions.

The Ministry of Defence oversees Indian Armed Forces, the principal entity responsible for safeguarding the nation's security. On the other hand, Ministry of Home Affairs supervises Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), which primarily focuses on addressing internal security concerns while also assisting in countering external threats.

The Defence Forces of India's role is to safeguard this country's security and help in peacekeeping. Although the Defence Forces' primary objective is to ensure the country's security by defending its territorial integrity, they also perform various supplementary roles. 

These include: 

• Search and rescue operations

• Ministerial air transport services

• Air ambulance services

• Assistance during natural or other disasters

• Support in maintaining essential services

India has various types of defence forces depending on their types of tasks. Here are the divisions and subdivisions of the defence forces: 

Indian Armed Force

• Indian Army : Under the leadership of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who holds responsibility for command, control, and administration, the Indian Army operates.

  Indian Army has six operational commands and one training command. With over 12 lakh active troops and 8 lakh reserve troops, Indian Army ranks among the largest standing armies globally and holds the distinction of being the world's largest voluntary army.

• Indian Air Force: Over the years, Indian Air Force has undergone significant transformations, such as the recent inclusion of women for short service commissions. It has evolved from being a tactical force to one capable of operating across oceans, expanding its reach far beyond its original scope.

• Indian Navy: Indian Navy operates through three area commands, each led by a flag officer. Western Naval Command is situated in Bombay on the Arabian Sea, Southern Naval Command in Kochi (Cochin) on the Arabian Sea, and Eastern Naval Command in Vishakhapatnam on the Bay of Bengal. It also includes the Indian Special Forces, Marine Commandoes (MARCOS).

  With a strength of more than 58,000 personnel, the Indian Navy is one of the largest naval forces worldwide. 

• Indian Coast Guard: Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is responsible for safeguarding India's maritime interests and upholding maritime law. It attained official establishment as an independent armed force of India on August 18, 1978, through the enactment of the Coast Guard Act 1978 by the Indian Parliament.

Central Armed Police Force (CAPF)

• Assam Riffles: Having been founded in 1835, this paramilitary force holds the distinction of being one of the oldest in the nation. Its primary responsibility entails monitoring the international borders in the North East region and effectively countering insurgency operations in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland.

• Border Security Force (BSF): Although border protection is the primary focus of the BSF, the force has also been deployed in conflict-ridden regions of the country, such as Jammu and Kashmir, North East states, and areas affected by Naxal insurgency, to carry out counter-terrorism and counterinsurgency operations. 

• Central Industrial Security Force (CISF): The CISF has been entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring security for critical infrastructure installations across the country. This encompasses many facilities, such as atomic power plants, space establishments, airports, seaports, power plants, sensitive government buildings, and heritage monuments.

  Presently, the CISF actively provides security services at more than 58 airports, with 18 classified as "sensitive." 

• Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF): The CRPF actively participates in counter-militancy, counter-terrorism, and counterinsurgency operations in conflict-prone regions such as Jammu and Kashmir, the North-East, and the Naxal-affected areas. 

• Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP): ITBP's primary responsibility is to safeguard the Indo-China border. In addition to border security. It also plays a crucial role in fostering a sense of security among the local population. ITBP is actively involved in combating and addressing criminal activities, trans-border smuggling, and curbing illegal immigration.

• National Security Guard (NSG): NSG, established in 1986 through the National Security Guard Act 1986, is a specialised counter-terrorism unit operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It comprises two key components - Special Action Group (SAG) and Special Ranger Groups (SRG). 

  As a Federal Contingency Force, the NSG is entrusted with the specific role of addressing all aspects of terrorism across the country. The media often refers to NSG personnel as Black Cat Commandos.

• Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB): The primary objective of SSB is to ensure the security of designated international borders, specifically those shared with Nepal and Bhutan, while also fostering a sense of security among the inhabitants of border regions. SSB actively works to prevent smuggling activities, cross-border crimes, and other unlawful actions that threaten national security.

Intelligence and Investigation Agencies

• Intelligence Bureau (IB) – Internal Intelligence: Indian Intelligence Bureau (IB) is the world's oldest intelligence agency. It is responsible for conducting counter-terrorism operations, intelligence gathering in border regions, counterintelligence activities, safeguarding critical infrastructure, and countering secessionist activities.

• Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) – External Intelligence: The research and Analysis Wing is India's foreign intelligence agency. Its primary role entails the collection of foreign intelligence, counter-proliferation efforts, providing counsel to Indian policymakers, counter-terrorism operations, and advancing India's foreign strategic interests.

• Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN): Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN) operates within the Department of Information and Communications Technology. Its primary function is to act as the central coordination point for addressing large-scale cyber security threats, including hacking and phishing incidents. CERT-In plays a pivotal role in enhancing the security defences of the Indian Internet domain.

• National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO): National Technical Research Organization (NTRO) specialises in gathering technical intelligence by engaging in activities such as intercepting and analysing communication signals, conducting imagery intelligence operations, and collecting cyber intelligence. 

• Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA): Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) is the central intelligence agency responsible for procuring and coordinating defence and military intelligence for the Indian Armed Forces. It holds a superior position to and oversees the coordination of the Directorate of Military Intelligence, the Directorate of Air Intelligence, and the Directorate of Naval Intelligence. 

• All India Radio Monitoring Service: The All India Radio Monitoring Service (AIRMS) functions as the primary communications monitoring service. It is responsible for monitoring both domestic broadcasts within India and foreign broadcasts that are of interest to India.

• Joint Cipher Bureau: Joint Cipher Bureau collaborates closely with the IB and R&AW to fulfil its responsibilities related to cryptoanalysis and encryption of sensitive data. This inter-services bureau is primarily responsible for cryptology and SIGINT (Signals Intelligence).

• Directorate of Revenue Intelligence: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) serves as the principal intelligence agency responsible for enforcing a prohibition on the smuggling of various items, including drugs, diamonds, gold, electronics, counterfeit Indian currency, and foreign currency. 

• Directorate of Air Intelligence: The Directorate of Air Intelligence serves as the intelligence division of the Indian Air Force. Its primary role is to deliver suitable, accurate, and synchronised intelligence support to cater to the operational and tactical requirements of the Air Force. 

Apart from these, here are some other prominent departments of Intelligence & Investigation agencies in India: 

• Directorate of Naval Intelligence

• Directorate of Income Tax (Intelligence and Criminal Investigation)

• Aviation Research Centre

• National Investigation Agency 

• Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) 

Central Police Organisation

• Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPRD)

• National Crime Records Bureau

• National Institute of Criminology & Forensic Science (NICFS)

Others

• Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)

• Directorate of Enforcement (DE)

• Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)

• Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU)

Paramilitary Forces of India

This is not another subdivision of defence forces. The trio of these three are referred to as the paramilitary forces of India: 

• Assam Rifles (AR) – CAPF

• Indian Coast Guard Personnel – Indian Armed Force

• Special Frontier Force (SFF) – Intelligence

Indian Defence Force has four primary objectives: 

• Safeguarding the territorial integrity of India.

• Defending the country in the event of foreign aggression.

• Assisting the civilian population during times of disasters, such as floods.

• Contributing to United Nations peacekeeping operations in line with India's commitment to the United Nations Charter.

The Indian Defence Force has undergone many changes before and since independence, but its significance remains unchanged. 

The role of the Defence Forces of India may not be felt by sitting at home or just going about one's daily life, but it is crucial. No matter in whichever corner you reside in India, if you are safe and sound and can go back to your family after a long day of duty, this is just because some from our defence force are guarding the borders of our country.