Speed, Surprise And Skill: CRPF's Doctrine That's Crushing The Red Corridor

India's largest paramilitary force was stuck in a time warp. For decades, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)—the core of the Central Armed Police Forces—functioned like a bureaucratic machine: slow, predictable, and lacking the killer instinct required for modern asymmetric warfare.

As GP Singh completes his first year as CRPF Director General this month, the transformation he has orchestrated reads like a military thriller. Once criticised for its sluggish response and limited strategic thinking, the force has evolved into a dynamic, risk-taking organisation that just pulled off one of India's most decisive anti-Naxal operations in decades.

Limited Strategic Bandwidth

For years, CRPF was trapped in what insiders call "limited strategic bandwidth"—a bureaucratic prison that stifled innovation and operational agility. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval KC repeatedly emphasised the need for speed, surprise, and skill in operations, yet the force remained stuck in reactive mode, at least in recent years.

One top source adds that the operational landscape a few years ago was designed for limited-engagement situations, and operational statistics support this.  A top source said that in 2025, 59 Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) were established, compared with 40 in 2024 and 27 in 2023.

In the first three months of 2025, 280 Naxals surrendered, up from 124 in the same period of 2024. Similarly, perhaps most significantly, India's dreaded Red Corridor—once a sprawling network of Naxal-controlled territories—has shrunk to just three remaining affected corridors.

Struggling Finances 

The transformation wasn't just tactical—it was financial. CRPF had become ineffective due to underutilisation of its modernisation budget, with reports showing less than 10% utilisation in the first three quarters of 2024. In 2022-23, only 31% of allocated funds were spent. However, from 2025 to the present, CRPF has effectively utilised its modernisation and operational budget by aggressively investing in:

1- Infrastructure development across operational zones

2- Specialised training programs, including 3- Counter Insurgency and Anti-Terror Courses

4- Digital integration with advanced IT solutions

5- Enhanced mobility and communication systems

Speed, Surprise And Skill: Operation Black Forest 

The ultimate test for Singh came with Operation Black Forest—a 21-day blitz that decimated Naxal capabilities across Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Maharashtra, with around 31 Naxalites killed, more than 50 arrested, and 84 surrendering. In this 21-day operation, the CRPF almost dismantled the Naxals' will to operate and recalibrate by destroying their strategic and offensive capabilities. 

But the operation's success wasn't just about numbers. It marked a fundamental shift in CRPF's operational philosophy—from defensive reactions to proactive, coordinated strikes that left insurgents scrambling. Sources say Singh spent months before the operation restructuring the force's strategic thinking, emphasising operational risk-taking and tactical flexibility—qualities that had been systematically ignored for decades.  One top source adds that “Singh’s interactions with various frontiers of CRPF, especially with mid- and lower ranks, almost on a weekly or monthly basis, helped shape the force’s strategic thinking and boosted their morale”. 

The Willy Command To SIngh's Doctrine 

A well-placed security establishment source draws a compelling parallel between Singh's command style and that of Captain Willy Rohr, the legendary German officer who transformed a demoralised, nearly defunct unit into an elite fighting force. 

First, he modernised and trained them for close-quarter battles.

Second, they improved their operational mobility by training them to move in small, decentralised squads to run through gaps in the enemy line, adding speed and an element of surprise in the field—a similar kind of movement witnessed during Operation Black Forest, though in large numbers.

The third and most important factor was his leadership, where Willy trained the lowest-ranking Non-Commissioned officers to make crucial tactical decisions by shaping their strategic will and mindset, a similar exercise that GP Singh undertook through welfare and operational measures over the past year.

As CRPF nears another historic operational milestone in modern times by contributing to the complete elimination of Naxals by 31st March 2026, the force that once epitomized bureaucratic inertia now operates with the agility and precision of an elite counter-insurgency unit. But the real test isn't just achieving this milestone—it's maintaining this operational effectiveness in a challenging security environment.