| Agencyname: | Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) |
| Abbreviation: | CoBRA |
| Logocaption: | CoBRA Insignia |
| Badgecaption: | Side Arm Badge |
| Motto: | "Saṃgrāmeṃ parākramī jyī" |
| Mottotranslated: | "Victory for gallant in war" |
| Formedyear: | 2008[1] |
| Formedmonthday: | 12 September |
| Country: | India |
| Legaljuris: | India |
| Governingbody: | Central Reserve Police Force |
| Governingbodyscnd: | Ministry of Home Affairs (India) |
| Headquarters: | Directorate General, Central Reserve Police Force, New Delhi |
| Sworn: | 10,000 |
| Sworntype: | Active Personnel[2] |
| Chief1name: | Maheswar Dayal,[3] IPS |
| Chief1position: | Inspector General, CoBRA |
| Parentagency: | Central Reserve Police Force |
| Unittype: | Special Forces |
| Person1name: | Shri. K Vijay Kumar IPS, Shri. K Durga Prasad IPS, Shri. NC Asthana IPS, Shri KV Madhusudhanan, former IG, CRPF |
| Anniversary1: | 12 September 2008 |
COBRA (backronym for COmmando Battalion for Resolute Action) is a special operation unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) of India proficient in guerrilla tactics and jungle warfare. Originally established to counter the Naxalite movement,[4] [5] CoBRA is deployed to address insurgent groups engaging in asymmetrical warfare.[6] Numbering ten battalions as of 2011,[1] CoBRA is considered to be one of the most experienced and successful law enforcement units in the country.[1]
In 2009, the MHA approved the raising of 10 CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) to meet the challenges posed by the Naxal rebels.[7] The unit was initially raised to counter the Naxal insurgents in the Red Corridor.[7] The regiment initially started off with 2 battalions, in 2009, followed by the raising of another 8 battalions in 2 years.
CoBRA Battalions are trained to conduct operations against insurgents in all manners of rugged terrain. The highly efficient personnel are chosen from the CRPF and are conditioned with rigorous physical endurance, and taught the planning and execution of operations, GPS and map reading, gathering of intelligence, and Fast-Roping amongst other activities. The highly efficient personnel are trained and specialized in various fields including but not limited to guerrilla warfare, explosive tracking and bomb disposal, field engineering, survival, and jungle warfare.
Special intelligence courses have been conducted by premier intelligence agencies to train troops in intelligence gathering. To maintain the uniformity of standards and the evolution of a unique ethos as well as training of troops. A dedicated CoBRA school of jungle warfare & tactics is in the works.
The founder of CoBRA, DIG K.V. Madhusudhanan, spoke about the CoBRA's unit's rules of engagement in an interview. "The Maoist menace is a grievance-driven movement and ideology-driven insurgency. Hence, CoBRA would require new tactical doctrines, skills and resources. While the Maoist struggle is total—no time limit or fixed geographical target—CoBRA had to operate under limitations of law. There were no drawn lines of conflict, and CoBRA had to account for every person apprehended, injured or killed. The extremists have no such liabilities."[8]
Since its inception, the unit has been successful in the taking down of 61 Naxals, and the apprehension of 886 more. They have also recovered vast amounts of ammunition dumps, along with arms and explosives. The CoBRA personnel's efforts have also been acknowledged with more than 200 commendation disc(s) from the DG CRPF. The valour and gallant actions of CoBRA has been recognised and the unit has been decorated with multiple Gallantry medals including -
1986 was the year when No. 88 Mahila Battalion, CRPF was raised, earning the distinction of being the first all-women battalion in the world. In 2021, 34 personnel from the hallowed ranks of the CRPF, to form an all-women CoBRA battalion.
| 201 CoBRA Battalion | Karanpur | ||
| 202 CoBRA Battalion | Sunabeda, Koraput, Odisha | ||
| 203 CoBRA Battalion | Changsari, Assam | ||
| 204 CoBRA Battalion | Masgaon, Chhattisgarh | ||
| 205 CoBRA Battalion | Barwadih, Bihar | ||
| 206 CoBRA Battalion | Chintapur, Maharashtra | ||
| 207 CoBRA Battalion | Tyangrasol, West Bengal | ||
| 208 CoBRA Battalion | Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh | ||
| 209 CoBRA Battalion | RANCHI, Jharkhand | ||
| 210 CoBRA Battalion | Dalgaon, Assam | ||
| 88 Mahila Battalion |
CoBRA is a well-equipped Central Armed Police unit in the country,[9] set up with a budget of 293 billion from the Central government.[10]
Most of the equipment for the Cobra is manufactured indigenously by the Indian Ordnance Factories controlled by the Ordnance Factories Board, Ministry of Defence, Government of India.[11] [12]
Some weapon like long-range sniper rifles are imported from overseas
CoBRA's are trained in the CRPF jungle warfare institutions in Belgaum and Koraput. Their training regime and duration is along the lines of other commando forces of the country such as the National Security Guard. They are trained to adapt themselves in the art of camouflage and jungle warfare with the main focus being on guerilla and jungle warfare . All personnel are trained for helicopter borne insertion and drops. Refresher courses are conducted annually and bi-annually to ensure that the unit and its personnel function as a well-oiled machine without any hijinks. Their role is to carry out reconnaissance and long range patrols, gather intelligence on the whereabouts of the insurgents, and also carry out ambushes and precision strikes when required.
After three months of training in Belgaum or Koraput, CoBRA members are deployed to their respective units to counter-Naxal activities.[13]