The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is a central armed police force (CAPF) of India, functioning under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). It is an institution and an armed force of the Union, formally constituted by the Central Reserve Police Force Act, 1949. The force originated as the Crown Representative's Police on July 27, 1939, during British rule. After Independence, the force was renamed the Central Reserve Police Force on December 28, 1949, by an Act of Parliament, with the then Home Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, envisioning a multi-dimensional role for it. The CRPF's initial post-Independence problem-solving role included assisting the Union Government in the amalgamation of princely states like Junagadh and Kathiawar.
The mechanism of the CRPF is governed by the CRPF Act, 1949, which establishes it as a permanent armed force. Section 3 of the Act constitutes the force, while Section 7 mandates members to promptly obey lawful orders and apprehend offenders. Section 8 places the force under the superintendence and control of the Central Government. The CRPF's primary duty is to assist State and Union Territory governments in maintaining law and order, combating insurgency, and ensuring internal security.
The CRPF connects to other CAPFs like the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), all operating under the MHA. Specialized units within the CRPF include the Rapid Action Force (RAF) for riot control and the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) for anti-Naxal operations. Recently, the force has undergone changes, such as the disbanding of the Parliament Duty Group (PDG) and the merger of its personnel into the VIP Security Group (VSG) in January 2025. Additionally, in October 2024, the MHA approved a strategic realignment of 137 battalions to reduce the distance between units and their parent bases, aiming to improve logistical efficiency and troop welfare.