260 ITBP Personnel Awarded Special Operation Medal For Exceptional Service During Eastern Ladakh Standoff

As many as 260 Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel were on Sunday awarded special operations medals by the Union Home Minister for their exceptional service during the ongoing military standoff with the Chinese PLA in East Ladakh.

The Home Ministry has issued a notification naming a total of 397 personnel from various state police and central forces for the award.

An ITBP spokesman said the award was given to their soldiers in recognition of their “indomitable courage and dedication to duty” in East Ladakh between May 2020 and February this year.

At 260, this is the highest number of awards given to a police force at once.

“ITBP personnel have secured the border of Ladakh in extreme conditions through its operation ‘Snow Leopard’ at the height of the ice. The force has carried out a high-level strategic plan and effective ground operations with full coordination and cooperation among all sister organizations,” the spokesman said in a statement.

Former Commander of Leh-based ITBP North-West Frontier, Inspector General (IG) Deepam Seth, is among the awardees.

Seth, now stationed at the Border Force headquarters here, was also a member of the Indian delegation for 10 rounds of senior Supreme Military Commander (SHMC) level talks with Chinese border commanders.

Informing about the award, the spokesperson said, “ITBP’s special operations spanned a year and involved a high level of strategic planning and efficient ground operations.”

“In addition to this, it also included timely and adequate logistics supply for the troops in the forward positions,” he said.

The government last year awarded the Police Medal (PMG) to 20 ITBP officers and staff for their bravery during military stagnation and for displaying courage during violent clashes with Chinese PLA workers.

About 90,000 workers The powerful ITBP was raised after the Chinese aggression in 1962 and was initially responsible for maintaining the 3,488-kilometer Indo-China Line of Actual Control (LAC). Some of its posts on the LAC are located up to 18,800 feet high.

The Union Home Minister’s Special Operations Medal was established in 2018 and is awarded for special operations in areas such as counter-terrorism, border action, arms control, drug trafficking prevention and rescue operations.

This news has been published via a Syndicated feed. Only the headline is changed.