National Cooperative Dairy Federation of India Ltd. (NCDFI) and Assam Rifles signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) in New Delhi to further strengthen cooperation for the supply of milk and milk products through the dairy cooperative network.

The MoA was exchanged by Brig Sachinder Tiwari, SM, Brig (Adm), Directorate General Assam Rifles and Shri Srinivas Sajja, MD, NCDFI, in the august presence of Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera, AVSM, SM, Director General, Assam Rifles, and Dr. Meenesh Shah, Chairman, NCDFI & NDDB. The occasion marked an important milestone in expanding the role of dairy cooperatives in meeting the requirements of Assam Rifles.

During the previous year, NCDFI facilitated contracts with Assam Rifles for the supply of UHT milk by Amul (Gujarat) and Nandini (Karnataka), Whole Milk Powder by Warana Milk Union (Maharashtra), and fresh milk by Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura Milk Unions. Based on the satisfactory performance and reliable supplies by dairy cooperatives, Assam Rifles has expanded the range of milk and milk products being procured from the cooperative sector.

Accordingly, in addition to the previous year’s contracts, Malt Based Food and Cheese are now being supplied by Amul, while fresh milk and butter are being supplied by WAMUL (Assam), Dimapur (Nagaland), Bhagirathi (West Bengal) and Alwar (Rajasthan) Milk Unions. The supplies under the arrangement are presently catering primarily to Assam Rifles units and establishments in the North Eastern States, along with their offices in Kolkata and New Delhi.

The MoA reflects the shared commitment of NCDFI and Assam Rifles towards ensuring a dependable supply of quality milk and milk products to Assam Rifles units, while also creating meaningful market opportunities for dairy cooperatives and their farmer members, with particular emphasis on strengthening dairy development and farmer empowerment in the North Eastern region.

Speaking on the occasion, Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera, AVSM, SM, appreciated the consistent efforts of NCDFI and the participating dairy cooperatives in meeting the requirements of Assam Rifles. He observed that the timely availability of quality milk and milk products is important for the welfare of personnel deployed across different locations, particularly in the North Eastern region. He further noted that Assam Rifles, being a force deeply associated with the North East and widely regarded as the “Friends of the North Eastern People”, has taken this initiative not only to ensure reliable supplies for its personnel but also to support the larger cause of empowering dairy farmers through cooperative institutions of the region. He expressed confidence that the MoA would further strengthen this meaningful institutional arrangement and contribute to a mutually beneficial relationship between the forces and the farming community.

Dr. Meenesh Shah said that the association with Assam Rifles is a matter of pride for the dairy cooperative sector. He stated that NCDFI has had the privilege of facilitating supplies of milk and milk products to the Indian Army and ITBP for the last four decades, and the partnership with Assam Rifles further strengthens this trusted association with national institutions. He added that such initiatives reflect the capability of dairy cooperatives to efficiently serve the requirements of Defence and paramilitary forces, while also creating assured market opportunities for cooperative dairies and their farmer members, particularly in the North Eastern states.

Dr. Meenesh Shah also presented Certificates of Gratitude to the officials of Assam Rifles in recognition of their support and trust in the dairy cooperative network. Certificates of Appreciation were also presented to the participating dairy cooperatives in recognition of their role in undertaking supplies of milk and milk products to Assam Rifles, and for their commitment towards ensuring timely, reliable and satisfactory service.

The partnership is expected to further encourage the participation of dairy cooperatives from different regions of the country in meeting the requirements of Assam Rifles, particularly across the North Eastern region and related establishments, while strengthening the cooperative dairy sector’s contribution towards national service, self-reliance and farmer welfare.

Key Highlights

Under the proposed MoA, dairy cooperatives from the North Eastern Region will supply fresh milk to 72 Assam Rifles units located across the seven states in the Northeast — Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh, as well as Assam Rifles establishments in Delhi and Kolkata.

Dairy products such as UHT Milk and Whole Milk Powder (WMP) are being supplied at 5 locations, while products such as Cheese and Malt-Based Food are being supplied at 7 locations by member dairy cooperatives including Amul (Gujarat), Nandini (Karnataka), and Warana (Maharashtra).

The MoA will provide a long-term institutional framework to strengthen and expand these supplies. This will ensure greater penetration of fresh milk into remote and border areas, enhance supply chain efficiency, and create opportunities for dairy cooperatives.

The arrangement is expected to generate business of approximately ₹44 crore annually for participating dairy cooperatives. The initiative will benefit both producers and consumers, supporting regional economic development and dairy self-reliance.

An assured institutional market of this scale provides confidence to dairy cooperatives to expand milk procurement from local farmers. Increased and sustained demand enables cooperatives to offer better milk procurement prices, thereby directly enhancing the income of dairy farmers. It also encourages investments in milk collection infrastructure, chilling facilities, transportation, and dairy development activities, leading to a stronger and more resilient dairy value chain.

The MoA will significantly expand market access for dairy cooperatives and their farmer members by facilitating the supply of fresh milk and dairy products to remote and strategically important border locations, many of which currently have limited access to fresh milk.

The assured demand from Assam Rifles will encourage cooperatives to increase milk procurement from local farmers, bringing more dairy producers into the organized cooperative network. This will create sustainable marketing opportunities for farmers, improve their income security, and promote dairy development in the North Eastern Region through enhanced production, collection, and distribution systems.

The benefits of this initiative will extend beyond Assam Rifles personnel and positively impact the civilian population across the North Eastern Region. The initiative will provide a sustainable source of income for dairy farmers, strengthen rural livelihoods, generate local employment, and contribute to the overall growth of the dairy sector in the North East.

Historically, many areas in the region have largely depended on UHT milk and milk powder due to limited availability of locally produced fresh milk. With increasing milk procurement by local dairy cooperatives and the development of a robust dairy supply chain, consumers will have access to fresh, locally sourced milk.