The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) was raised through an Act of Parliament on March 10, 1969. It was established with a strength of 3,129 personnel. The strength of the Force has grown exponentially to over 1.4 lakh personnel. 

It is a part of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) under the ministry of home affairs. 

Functions of CISF

The CISF is providing security cover to 347 units including 61 domestic and international airports and fire protection cover to 103 industrial undertakings.

It has become a premier multi-skilled security agency of the country, mandated to provide security to major critical infrastructure installations of the country in diverse regions including terrorist and naxal affected areas. 

CISF is currently providing security cover to atomic power plants, space installations, defence production units, mines, oil fields and refineries, major sea ports, heavy engineering/steel plants, fertilizer units, airports, hydro electric/thermal power plants, sensitive government buildings and heritage monuments (including Taj Mahal and Red Fort) and important private sector units. 

CISF is one of the largest Fire Protection Service providers in the country. It provides fire protection and fire safety coverage to 103 Public Sector Undertakings. Fire wing is an integral part of CISF, managed by professionally trained personnel with science and engineering backgrounds. First fire wing unit was inducted at Fertilizer and Chemical Travancore (FACT), Kochi in 1970 with a sanctioned strength of 53 personnel. CISF is the only Central Armed Police Force having a full-fledged fire service wing.

In 1999, CISF was authorised to extend technical and fire consultancy services on the payment basis to establishments even in the private sector where CISF is not deployed.

The specialised task of airport security was assigned to CISF in 2000 following the  hijack of Indian Airlines Flight IC-814 to Kandahar. The Force has since been deployed at 61 airports across the country including all major airports. 

The CISF was inducted in Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) in 2007. DMRC is a Hyper Sensitive Unit and is the largest unit of CISF.

CISF has been mandated to provide protection to the VIP protectees of various categories across the country. The VIP Security Wing of CISF, called as Special Security Group (SSG), is looking after the security of VVIPs/VIPs.

Central Armed Police Forces

There are five Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) namely Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and one Central Paramilitary Force (CPMF) namely Assam Rifles (AR) under the ministry of home affairs. 

Out of these, AR, BSF, ITBP and SSB are the ‘Border Guarding Forces’ while CRPF is deployed to assist the civil administration under the state governments/UT administrations in matters relating to maintenance of Public Order, internal security and counter insurgency. 

The Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) are specialised wings of the CRPF to deal with the riots and Left Wing Extremism / insurgency. 

CISF provides protection to vital installations of national/strategic importance. 

In addition, National Security Guard (NSG) is a specialised strike force trained in the counter terrorism and anti-hijacking operations.

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