"Guardians of Peace: The Story of Rashtriya Rifles in Kashmir"|

The Rashtriya Rifles, India's premier counter-insurgency force was established in the mid-1990s during a flight. The force's primary objective is to combat insurgency and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, though it has also been deployed in other parts of the country. Rashtriya Rifles is the largest counter-insurgency force in India and operates as a unique military experiment under the Indian Army's Northern Command. The Rashtriya Rifles became a source of terror for militant organizations as they were able to neutralize 8000 militants and capture over 6000, which eventually led to a period of relative peace in the Kashmir valley.

The Rashtriya Rifles derives its authority to maintain public order from the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990 (AFSPA). This enables the Rashtriya Rifles to conduct a search, arrest and detain suspects on the basis of pertinent information or intelligence anytime.

The Indian Army raised the RR by reorganizing two corps consisting of approximately 75,000 soldiers. The Rashtriya Rifles’ personnel are deputed from the Indian Army. The force is headed by an Additional Directorate General of Rashtriya Rifles (ADG RR).

Rashtriya Rifles personnel include regular Indian Army troops and paramilitary forces, such as the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The Rashtriya Rifles force is trained specifically for counter-insurgency operations and works closely with local police and other security agencies.
The Rashtriya Rifles has played a crucial role in neutralizing terrorist groups and their leaders in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief during emergencies.
One of the distinguishing aspects of the Rashtriya Rifles is its focus on improving the welfare and development of local populations in areas where it operates.


To this end, the force has undertaken various initiatives to promote education, health, and employment opportunities. The Rashtriya Rifles has received numerous honors and awards, including the President's Colors in 2001, in recognition of its contributions to national security.

Origin and History of Rashtriya Rifles
The idea to establish the Rashtriya Rifles originated in 1990 due to the surge in militancy in the Kashmir valley, which the local authorities and other paramilitary forces were unable to curb. Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh and his government approved the project, making the RR the country's premier counter-insurgency force. Initially, the force had 36 battalions and around 5,000 soldiers, all with operational experience in the valley. After some initial setbacks in the force's composition and organizational structure, the army restructured the branch, requiring every infantry regiment to have at least two Rashtriya Rifles Battalions.

The RR was initially deployed to the valley and specific regions in Punjab during the Khalistan insurgency. The force proved to be extremely effective in both areas, and their efforts played a significant role in curbing the Khalistan movement. By the time the Rashtriya Rifles celebrated their 8th anniversary, they had become the most decorated branch in the entire Indian army, with over 500 gallantry awards.

After the situation in Punjab stabilized, the Rashtriya Rifles focused solely on operations in Jammu and Kashmir and remains limited to the valley to this day.