Rapid Fire
Indigenous Dogs for Assam Rifles Dog Squad
- 13 Feb 2026
- 2 min read
Assam Rifles plans to gradually phase out foreign dog breeds by 2050, following the 2025 directive of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to induct more Indian canine breeds into the armed forces’ dog squads.
- Tangkhul Hui Breed: It is native to the Ukhrul district of Manipur, is highly disease-resistant and traditionally used for hunting.
- Kombai Breed: An indigenous breed from Tamil Nadu, Kombai has been identified as a suitable partner breed for Tangkhul Hui.
- Training & Deployment: The dogs are trained at the Assam Rifles Dog Training Centre in Jorhat, the force’s only such facility, before deployment as guard and tracker dogs in operational areas.
- Operational Role: These dogs help in detecting arms, explosives and narcotics, particularly in the Northeast and Jammu & Kashmir regions.
- Current vs Future Composition: The force currently uses Belgian Malinois, German Shepherd and Labrador breeds, but aims for full induction of indigenous breeds by 2027 and gradual replacement by 2050.
Assam Rifles
- The Assam Rifles is a Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and India’s oldest paramilitary force, primarily responsible for security and counter-insurgency operations in the Northeast and guarding the Indo-Myanmar border.
- It was established in 1835 as the “Cachar Levy,” a militia raised to protect British tea plantations and settlements from tribal raids in the Northeast.
- The force functions under the dual control of the Ministry of Home Affairs (administrative) and the Ministry of Defence (operational).
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