Who should control Assam Rifles—MoD or MHA? Resolving that will truly end Army’s role in Northeast

The oldest Insurgencies in India originated in the mid-1950s in the Northeastern states of Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram. It later spread to Assam, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, and Meghalaya. Among the central forces, the Army and the Assam Rifles have borne the burden of counterinsurgency that has varied in intensity and geographic spread over nearly seven decades. So, it is heartening to note that improvement in the political and operational environment due to the waning of insurgency in the Northeast has facilitated a noteworthy reduction in the counterinsurgency role of the Army. Its previous role is being carried out mostly by the Assam Rifles now, freeing the Army to concentrate on the growing threat from China.