One of the most popular forces in India is the Rashtriya Rifles which excites young aspirants throughout the country. If you aspire to serve in this elite force too, we share everything you need to know about it today.
What is Rashtriya Rifles?
The Rashtriya Rifles or RR was formed in 1990 as a counter-terrorism force in Jammu and Kashmir. It gets its power from the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1990 (AFSPA). Unlike other units, RR is not a regiment but a deputation, that is, troops of the Indian Army serve in the force temporarily.
It works under the Ministry of Defence and its HQs are at Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir. Here are some additional details of RR that you must know:
| Motto | Dridhta aur Veerta (Determination and Valour) |
| War cry | Bajrangbali ki Jai |
| Additional DG | Major General Anupam Bhagi |
| Insignia | The Ashoka Chakra above two crossed Kalashnikov rifles with fixed bayonets and the motto scroll under it |
Organization of Rashtriya Rifles
The Rashtriya Rifles is considered as a paramilitary force, hence, its organization differs from that of Indian Army. It works towards counterterrorism operations only. Hence, the organization of RR is something like this:
Rashtriya Rifles has 65 battalions, each having about 1100 personnel and support services such as the service corps and the engineers. It also has six infantry companies each, posted in five operational sectors. An operational sector is led by an officer of Major General rank:
- Victor Force for Kashmir Valley
- Kilo Force for Kupwara and Baramulla
- Delta Force for Doda
- Romeo Force for Rajouri and Poonch
- Uniform Force for Udhampur
Counter-Insurgency Forces of RR
Just like its own organization, the Rashtriya Rifles also has its five distinct counterinsurgency forces (CIFs), which operate in different areas, namely:
- CIF Romeo for Rajouri and Poonch
- CIF Delta for Doda and Kishtwar
- CIF Victor for Valley districts such as Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, and Badgam
- CIF Kilo for Kupwara, Srinagar, and Baramulla
- CIF Uniform for Udhampur, Banihal, and Ladakh
Both CIF Victor and CIF Kilo come under the XV Corps (Chinar Corps), whereas CIF Romeo and CIF Delta come under the XVI Corps (White Knight Corps). However, CIF Uniform operates under I Corps. The CIF areas of Rashtriya Rifles have 13 operational sectors
| Sector | District | Sector | District |
| 1 | Anantnag | 8 | Kupwara |
| 2 | Kulgam | 9 | Kishtwar |
| 3 | Manasbal | 10 | Baramulla |
| 4 | Doda | 11 | Banihal |
| 5 | Baramulla | 12 | Badgam |
| 6 | Poonch | 13 | Rajouri |
| 7 | Kupwara |
Notable Rashtriya Rifles Personnel
Several notable personnel of the Indian Army have served in the Rashtriya Rifles over the years. Their stories have inspired many young minds of the country to join the organization as well. These include:
- General Bipin Rawat, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM, ADC commanded sector five of RR
- Major Mukund Varadarajan, AC in 44 RR
- Colonel MN Rai, YSM, SM in 42 RR
- Naik Neeraj Kumar Singh, AC in 57 RR
Serving in the Rashtiya Rifles is on a deputation-basis, so if you wish to join the force, you must enroll yourself in the Indian Army first and live a life of persistence and valour with the Valley ke Dhurandhar.
