International Journal of Contemporary Research in Multidisciplinary

The security forces in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) have been dealing with terrorist activities since India’s independence in 1947. These forces have always been the first line of defense in countering external threats and aggression; but the border areas, which are far-flung of and have poor road connectivity and infrastructure, become more vulnerable to militant attacks due to the lack of speedy mobility of the security forces into these areas. Therefore, the government of India came up with the idea of self-defense by establishing a civil militia in such border areas, known as Village Defence Committees (VDCs). Village Defence Guards (VDGs) is the new version of VDCs, which plays a critical role in maintaining peace and security in the rural areas of J&K. VDGs are significant and revived based on the need of the hour. Despite several challenges, VDGs can emerge as a crucial line of defence for the residents of the border area villages. The paper highlights the reasons for the revival of VDGs along with their role and how these are empowering the local civilians. The focus has also been drawn towards the significance of VDGs and what can be done in the future to enhance the efficiency of VDGs volunteers.