In contrast to its name ("Reserve"), Kostrad is the main warfare combat unit of the Indonesian Army.

[3] Initially designated the Army General Reserve Corps (Cadangan Umum Angkatan Darat), its name was changed to Kostrad in 1963.

General Suharto, was appointed as the first head of Kostrad in 1961, and it was in this role that he was able to assert the army's control in the days following the alleged coup attempt on the evening of 30 September and dawn of 1 October 1965, which ultimately led to Suharto replacing Sukarno as Indonesian president.

The command's troops have fought in most Indonesian military operations since their formation, such as the purge of communists and "alleged communists", including the Operation Trident (Indonesian: Operasi Trisula), the PGRS (Sarawak People's Guerrilla Force) in Sarawak and the PARAKU [id] (North Kalimantan People's Force) in Kalimantan.

Kostrad troops have also been used beyond Indonesia's borders, as was the case with Garuda Contingent in Egypt (1973–78) and South Vietnam (1973–75) and with those in the United Nations Iran–Iraq Military Observer Group in the midst of the Iran–Iraq War of 1989 and 1990.

Kostrad had a strength of 32,000 in 2017 and its primary components consist of three infantry divisions and an independent airborne brigade.

Tontaipur was formed under the auspices of the then Kostrad commander Lt Gen Ryamizard Ryacudu.