The Indo-Tibetan Border Police has moved at least 33 border outposts (BOPs) closer to the India-China border as part of its forwardisation plan, the director general of the force, Rahul Rasgotra, said on Tuesday.
Addressing the force’s raising day parade, Rasgotra said, “…ITBP has implemented the forwardisation plan. Fifty-six border outposts will be set up nearer to the border. Of these, 33 have already been moved.”
“For operations requirements, the home ministry approved the setting up of seven new battalions. Of them, six have already been raised in Arunachal Pradesh while the seventh one in Sikkim will be raised this year,” he said.
The seven battalions comprise nearly 9,000 personnel.
The Centre last year approved a proposal for forwardisation of ITBP border outposts along the India-China border to facilitate ease in patrolling and better resource management. Posts which were at distances of 15-40 km from the border have been moved closer to the LAC.
With a strength of 96,222 personnel, ITBP guards 3,488 km long India-China border through 197 BOPs situated at altitudes ranging from 9,000 ft to 18,750 ft from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh.
{{/usCountry}}With a strength of 96,222 personnel, ITBP guards 3,488 km long India-China border through 197 BOPs situated at altitudes ranging from 9,000 ft to 18,750 ft from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh.
{{/usCountry}}A problem often faced by the Indian patrolling units is that they end up travelling 15-40 kms from certain BOPs for patrolling at the line of actual control (LAC) and then return the same distance, which takes days. Having border outposts closer to the border will ensure better patrolling and surveillance of the region. Data on how many BOPs are currently close to the border wasn’t immediately available.
Between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024, ITBP conducted 6,561 patrols along the India-China border, according to the 2023-24 home ministry report released last week.
At the raising day parade, the ITBP chief also said that as part of the Vibrant Village programme in border village, the ITBP has signed a memorandum of understanding with Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh governments to buy local produce from such villages for the force.
“An MoU has been signed with both governments. As part of the MoU, ITBP will be supplied products from border villages. We are hopeful that through this MOU there will be employment opportunities for locals, and ITBP will be better quality of supplies. We are trying to have similar MOUs with governments in Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim,” he said.