Puri Greets CRPF on 87th Raising Day
Synopsis
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on 27 July 2026 greeted CRPF personnel on their Raising Day, lauding the force's exemplary courage and professionalism in safeguarding India's unity, integrity, and internal security since its founding in 1939.
Key Takeaways
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri extended Raising Day greetings to CRPF personnel on 27 July 2026 .
The CRPF was raised on 27 July 1939 under the CRPF Act, making it one of India's oldest Central Armed Police Forces.
Puri praised the force for 'exemplary courage, unwavering commitment and immense professionalism' in protecting national unity and internal security.
The CRPF is India's largest Central Armed Police Force , deployed in counter-insurgency, law-and-order, and election-duty roles across the country.
The tribute is part of a broader tradition of senior Union Ministers publicly acknowledging the CRPF's sacrifices on its annual founding anniversary.
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday, 27 July 2026 extended greetings to the personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on the occasion of the force's Raising Day, saluting their courage, commitment, and professionalism in protecting India's internal security.
Context
The CRPF marks its Raising Day on 27 July every year, commemorating its establishment under the CRPF Act in 1939. Puri, in his post on X, said the force 'has played a vital role in safeguarding the unity, integrity and internal security of our nation with exemplary courage, unwavering commitment and immense professionalism.'
The tribute reflects a broader tradition among Union Ministers and senior leaders of acknowledging the CRPF's sacrifices on its annual founding anniversary.
Policy Backdrop
The CRPF is India's largest Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), mandated to assist state governments in maintaining law and order, conducting counter-insurgency operations, and supporting election duty deployments across the country.
Raised originally as the Crown Representative's Police in 1939, the force was reconstituted under the CRPF Act after Independence and has since grown into a multi-division organisation deployed in some of the country's most sensitive theatres, including Jammu and Kashmir, the Northeast, and Left Wing Extremism-affected districts.
Stakeholders and Impact
The CRPF's personnel — numbering in the lakhs — serve across diverse and often hostile operational environments, from jungle warfare against Maoist groups to urban counter-terrorism and flood-relief duties.
Raising Day observances typically include ceremonial parades, investiture functions, and tributes to personnel who have made the supreme sacrifice. Senior constitutional and political figures across party lines conventionally mark the occasion with public acknowledgements.
What's Next
Annual Raising Day events provide a platform for the government to signal its commitment to force modernisation, welfare of personnel, and the broader internal-security architecture. Parliamentary and budgetary discussions on CAPF recruitment, equipment upgrades, and ex-servicemen welfare are likely to remain live policy conversations in the months ahead.
As India's internal security landscape continues to evolve, the CRPF's operational mandate — and the political salience of acknowledging its role — is expected to remain central to national security discourse.
Point of View
Reinforcing the BJP-led government's consistent messaging around national security and the valorisation of uniformed services. Such acknowledgements from senior Cabinet ministers — particularly those outside the Home Ministry's direct purview — signal a whole-of-government posture on internal security. The CRPF's expanding operational footprint, from Left Wing Extremism theatres to election management, keeps it central to India's security discourse. Raising Day tributes also serve as soft markers of political alignment with security forces, a theme that has carried electoral salience for the ruling dispensation.
NationPress
27 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is CRPF Raising Day celebrated?
CRPF Raising Day is celebrated every year on 27 July , marking the establishment of the Central Reserve Police Force under the CRPF Act in 1939 .
What is the role of the CRPF in India?
The CRPF is India's largest Central Armed Police Force, responsible for assisting state governments in maintaining law and order, conducting counter-insurgency operations, and supporting election duties across the country.
Who is Hardeep Singh Puri?
Hardeep Singh Puri is the Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, a senior BJP leader, and a former career diplomat who has served in several senior positions in the Indian Foreign Service.
What did Hardeep Singh Puri say about CRPF on Raising Day 2026?
Puri greeted CRPF personnel and stated that the force 'has played a vital role in safeguarding the unity, integrity and internal security of our nation with exemplary courage, unwavering commitment and immense professionalism.'
When was the CRPF founded?
The CRPF was originally raised on 27 July 1939 as the Crown Representative's Police and was later reconstituted under the CRPF Act after Indian Independence.
