The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force on Saturday said that it is establishing 10 all-women border posts along the 3,488 km-long, arduous and icy line of actual control (LAC) between India and China.
Speaking at the 64th Raising Day parade of the force held in Jammu, the 63-year-old force, ITBP's director general (DG) Praveen Kumar made the announcement. “We have worked on the forwardisation plan and, as a result, the number of forward-deployed BOPs (border outposts) is now 215 as compared to 180,” news agency PTI reported quoting Kumar as saying.
The force, as part of its “forwardisation” plan, initiated after the 2020 military clash in Ladakh, also moved its 215 border posts forward along the front on India's north and eastern flank so far.
In 2023, the centre had sanctioned seven more battalions and a sector office comprising about 9,400 personnel for the ITBP.
The establishment of the seven new battalions and a sector headquarters strengthened the forwardisation plan and also enhanced reach and supervision in the concerned areas, the DG said, adding that the force will establish 41 more such forward bases along the India-China line of actual control (LAC) in the near future, to further strengthen security and coordination.
{{/usCountry}}The establishment of the seven new battalions and a sector headquarters strengthened the forwardisation plan and also enhanced reach and supervision in the concerned areas, the DG said, adding that the force will establish 41 more such forward bases along the India-China line of actual control (LAC) in the near future, to further strengthen security and coordination.
{{/usCountry}}According to the report, the ITBP is also in the process of establishing two all-women BOPs in Ladakh's Lukung and Thangi in Himachal Pradesh, as a part of enhancing the role of women combatants.
“Eight more all-women BOPs will be made operational on this front,” the DG said.
The training institutions of the force have been reorganised and five new skilling modules have been launched for the troops, including on subjects like mountain warfare and tactical survival.
Functioning under the command of the union home ministry, the ITBP, has a manpower of more than one lakh personnel, with its border posts ranging between the height of 9,000 feet and over 14,000 feet, affected by inclement weather and low levels of oxygen.