The Ministry of Home Affairs has sanctioned a significant expansion of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), raising its approved strength from 1.62 lakh to 2.2 lakh personnel. The plan involves inducting 14,000 recruits each year until 2029, adding 70,000 new officers to meet rising security needs.
The CISF will deploy its enhanced manpower to protect critical sectors including airports, ports, nuclear facilities, power plants, and the prison network in Jammu & Kashmir. With Left-Wing Extremism declining in states like Chhattisgarh, the force will also extend its coverage to emerging industrial hubs.
In 2024, the CISF inducted 13,230 personnel, and recruitment of 24,098 more is underway for 2025. The expansion is expected to increase the number of women officers, supported by gender-inclusive recruitment policies. Additional strength will also allow for raising a new battalion dedicated to internal security and contingency operations.
Over the past year, seven units have been added under the Security Wing to secure sites such as the Parliament House Complex, Ayodhya Airport, NTPC’s Hazaribagh coal project, ICMR-NIV laboratory in Pune, Buxar and Etah thermal power projects, and the Beas–Satluj Link Project in Mandi. The Fire Wing also added two units at Parliament House and Etah.
Officials say the move aligns with the government’s strategy to strengthen national asset protection as India’s infrastructure network expands and security challenges evolve.
