The AR is one of the Oldest Central Para-military Forces of India administered by the Ministry of Home Affairs while operational control rests with Indian Army.

It is the oldest paramilitary force in India, originally raised in 1835 as Cachar Levy, a militia to protect tea gardens and the fertile plains of Assam against unruly tribes.

With approximately seven hundred and fifty men, this force was formed as a police unit to protect settlements against tribal raids and other assaults as British rule slowly moved towards the north east parts of India.

[citation needed] Following India's independence, Col. Sidhiman Rai, MC, was appointed the first Indian DG of Assam Rifles.

During World War I, men from what was then known as the Assam Military Police were part of the Indian forces that fought in Europe and the Middle East.

[16] Elements of the force were also utilised in India during the war, being used to maintain internal security in order to free up troops from the army for use overseas.

During this time, the most notable action occurred in 1917 when columns of the Assam Rifles were despatched to Patna, to restore law and order in the riot-torn city.

In concert with the British Indian Army, they also undertook a number of expeditions into remote tribal areas along the north-east frontier and into Burma.

[16] During World War II, the role of the Assam Rifles evolved once more as they were called upon to undertake even more varied tasks due to their status as both a police and military organisation.

After the lightning Japanese advance in 1942, the Assam Rifles fought a number of Independent actions behind enemy lines as the task of rear-area defence and rear-guard often fell to them during the Allies retreat into India.

Later, as a large influx of refugees fled from the advancing Japanese into India, the Assam Rifles were given the task of managing and organising this mass of humanity.

Other elements fought in the defensive "boxes" around Kohima, whilst another, from the 4th Battalion, trained as airborne troops, was dropped near the Sittang River behind Japanese lines.

[16] During this time and since then, the Assam Rifles also maintained their peacekeeping role in the northern areas of India in the face of growing tribal unrest and insurgency.

In this environment the maintenance of law and order, countering insurgency and reassuring the people of the region became important tasks for the security forces and initially they fell to the Assam Rifles before the Army assumed control, and then later their experience and goodwill in the region was drawn upon in order to assist the army in conducting these tasks.

[18] Through its deployment in what has become known as the "tribal belt", the Assam Rifles have developed an ethos that is based primarily upon the notion of extending the hand of friendship with the people of the region despite the troubles that have occurred there.

The DG AR has their office at the HQ Directorate General of Assam Rifle at Shillong, unlike other Central Armed Police Forces which are located at Delhi.

The Sector HQ exercises direct command and control over the Assam Rifles Battalions deployed in its area of responsibility.