How Para-military Forces Contribute to Disaster Relief in India

When disasters strike in India, a swift and coordinated response can mean the difference between life and death. While the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) often grabs the headlines, a crucial layer of support comes from India’s Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs)-commonly known as para-military forces. These forces, including the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and Assam Rifles, bring their unique skills, manpower, and resources to disaster relief operations across the country.

Understanding India’s para-military forces 🔗

The Central Armed Police Forces operate under the Ministry of Home Affairs and comprise seven armed police units tasked with maintaining internal security, law and order, counter-insurgency, and border protection. Though their primary roles differ, all CAPFs contribute significantly during emergencies when state resources are overwhelmed.

The term “paramilitary” was officially replaced with “Central Armed Police Forces” in 2011 to improve international perception and distinguish these forces from militant organisations in other countries. Despite the name change, their operational ethos remains the same-protecting India’s borders and citizens while responding rapidly to crises.

Border Security Force (BSF) 🔗

The BSF is the world’s largest dedicated border guarding force, responsible for securing India’s borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh. With approximately 2.7 lakh personnel organised in 192 battalions, the BSF maintains an air wing, marine wing, artillery regiment, and specialised commando units. During disasters, these resources transform from border patrol tools into life-saving assets.

Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) 🔗

As the largest CAPF with over 3.13 lakh personnel in 247 battalions, the CRPF primarily focuses on internal security and counter-insurgency operations. The force includes specialised units like the Rapid Action Force (RAF) for riot control and the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA) for anti-Naxal operations. Their extensive presence across India allows for quick deployment during emergencies.

Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) 🔗

The ITBP guards the 3,488-kilometre India-China border from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Diphu Pass in Arunachal Pradesh. Operating in some of the world’s most challenging terrain-altitudes ranging from 9,000 to 18,750 feet-ITBP personnel are naturally trained for mountain rescue and high-altitude operations. This makes them invaluable during Himalayan disasters like flash floods, avalanches, and landslides.

Assam Rifles and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) 🔗

The Assam Rifles, India’s oldest paramilitary force established in 1835, guards the 1,643-kilometre Indo-Myanmar border while maintaining operational control under the Indian Army. The SSB protects India’s borders with Nepal and Bhutan. Both forces participate actively in relief operations within their respective regions.

The NDRF connection: para-military forces as the backbone 🔗

Here’s something many people don’t realise: the National Disaster Response Force draws its personnel entirely from CAPFs. The 16 NDRF battalions are staffed by personnel deputed from BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSB, and Assam Rifles. Each battalion of approximately 1,149 personnel specialises in disaster response, search and rescue, communication, and medical assistance.

This arrangement creates a unique synergy. Para-military personnel bring their combat training, discipline, and operational experience to disaster management. After receiving specialised training in search and rescue, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) response, and medical first aid, they become dual-purpose assets capable of serving both security and humanitarian functions.

Strategic distribution of NDRF battalions 🔗

NDRF battalions are strategically positioned based on India’s disaster vulnerability profile. For instance, BSF contributes to battalions in Guwahati (covering the Northeast), Nadia (West Bengal), and Patna (Bihar)-all flood-prone regions. ITBP personnel staff battalions in Bathinda, Ghaziabad, Mandi (Himachal Pradesh), and Haldwani (Uttarakhand), focusing on mountain rescue and flash flood response.

Para-military forces in action: disaster deployments 🔗

Beyond their contribution to NDRF, para-military forces frequently deploy directly during disasters, working alongside state authorities, NDRF, and State Disaster Response Forces (SDRFs).

Flood rescue operations 🔗

During the devastating Assam floods of 2022, the Army, CRPF, BSF, NDRF, and SDRF worked together to rescue over 3,000 people from Cachar district alone. The operation involved evacuating pregnant women, children, and senior citizens from submerged areas of Silchar town using boats and helicopters.

More recently, in 2025, coordinated operations in flood-hit northwest India saw the Army, BSF, NDRF, and SDRF rescue approximately 2,400 people. BSF deployed helicopters and boats across Ferozepur and Gurdaspur districts, ferrying villagers across swollen rivers and carrying children on their shoulders to safety.

Uttarakhand disaster response 🔗

The Himalayan state of Uttarakhand frequently witnesses flash floods and cloudbursts, making it a testing ground for para-military disaster capabilities. During the 2013 Uttarakhand floods-considered the worst natural disaster in the region in a century-over 10,000 troops participated in Operation Surya Hope, alongside 600 ITBP personnel and 422 NDRF rescuers.

The coordination was remarkable. ITBP deployed 300 personnel each from two battalions in Joshimath and Kedarnath areas. NDRF teams positioned across six locations conducted search and rescue operations. Tragically, the operation’s dangers became evident when an IAF helicopter crashed, killing 5 IAF, 6 ITBP, and 9 NDRF personnel.

This tradition continues. In the August 2025 Uttarkashi flash floods, over 800 personnel from the Army, ITBP, NDRF, and SDRF coordinated rescue efforts in Dharali and Harsil. ITBP personnel carried elderly pilgrims on their backs through knee-deep water, while helicopters airlifted stranded tourists to safety.

Specialised capabilities beyond primary roles 🔗

What makes para-military forces particularly valuable in disaster scenarios is their specialised training and equipment designed for their primary duties but equally useful during emergencies.

Counter-insurgency and search operations 🔗

CRPF’s expertise in counter-insurgency operations-particularly in Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh, and the Northeast-translates directly to search and rescue capabilities. Personnel trained in navigating difficult terrain, operating in hostile conditions, and conducting systematic area searches apply these skills effectively during disaster response.

Border security and logistics 🔗

The BSF’s logistical capabilities are impressive. Their air wing, marine wing, and extensive boat fleet-originally designed for border patrol along riverine borders-become critical assets during floods. During the 2025 Punjab floods, BSF conducted multiple rescue operations, utilising their boats to evacuate villagers and their knowledge of water navigation to access isolated areas.

Mountain rescue expertise 🔗

ITBP personnel operate at altitudes where most people struggle to breathe. This high-altitude training makes them uniquely qualified for Himalayan disaster response. They’re trained in avalanche rescue, glacier operations, and survival in extreme conditions. When cloudbursts trigger landslides in Uttarakhand or Himachal Pradesh, ITBP teams often reach affected areas before any other force.

Riot control and crowd management 🔗

During disasters, crowd management becomes crucial-whether coordinating evacuations, distributing relief materials, or maintaining order at relief camps. CRPF’s Rapid Action Force, trained specifically for crowd control during sectarian violence, applies similar skills to manage large groups of displaced people humanely and efficiently.

Coordination mechanisms during disasters 🔗

Effective disaster response requires seamless coordination between multiple agencies. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) coordinates at the national level, while the Ministry of Home Affairs maintains administrative control over both CAPFs and NDRF.

During major disasters, a unified command structure typically emerges. State governments request central assistance through proper channels, following which NDRF teams are deployed alongside CAPF units already stationed in affected areas. The Indian Armed Forces provide additional support through helicopters, logistics, and manpower when civilian resources prove insufficient.

This integrated approach was visible during the 2023 Silkyara tunnel collapse in Uttarakhand. NDRF mobilised teams that worked alongside the Air Force and local agencies for nearly three weeks, ultimately rescuing all 41 trapped workers through coordinated efforts involving specialised equipment and expertise from multiple forces.

Challenges and the way forward 🔗

Despite their effectiveness, para-military forces face challenges in disaster response. Resource constraints limit modernisation of equipment. High personnel turnover due to the deputation model affects institutional knowledge. The increasing frequency of climate-induced disasters stretches available resources thin.

Addressing these challenges requires sustained investment in training infrastructure, equipment modernisation, and perhaps most importantly, formal recognition of disaster response as a core para-military function rather than an auxiliary duty. The expansion of NDRF to 16 battalions-with additional units from ITBP, Assam Rifles, and BSF-reflects growing acknowledgment of this need.

What do you think? Given their dual roles in security and disaster response, should para-military forces receive more specialised disaster management training as part of their regular curriculum? How can India better leverage these forces for climate-related emergencies that are becoming more frequent?

References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Armed_Police_Forces
2. https://police.gov.in/poi-internal-pages/central-armed-police-forces-capfs
3. https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper3/various-security-forces-and-their-mandate
4. https://vajiramandravi.com/current-affairs/national-disaster-response-force-ndrf/
5. https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/army-ndrf-sdrf-carry-out-rescue-operations-in-flood-hit-assam-s-cachar-122062100128_1.html
6. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/armyevacuation/army-bsf-ndrf-and-sdrf-join-hands-to-rescue-over-2400-people-in-flood-hit-north-west-india
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Surya_Hope
8. https://assamtribune.com/national/flash-floods-in-uttarakhand-relief-and-rescue-operations-are-in-progress-in-dharali-and-harsil-1587777
9. https://www.clearias.com/national-disaster-response-force/