Insta
India To Raise 15 New Battalions Of BSF And ITBP To Fortify Pakistan, China Borders
Swarajya Staff
Jan 15, 2018, 11:32 AM | Updated 11:32 AM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
At least 15 new battalions of India’s two paramilitary forces - the Border Security Force and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police - will be raised to guard India’s borders with China, Pakistan and Bangladesh, the Economic Times has reported.
According to reports, six battalions of the BSF and nine of the ITBP, each having about 1,000 operational jawans and officers, could be raised as part of this plan.
While the BSF mans India’s border with Pakistan and Bangladesh, the ITBP defends Indian territory along the frontier with China.
"The exact locations for the new battalions could be gauged as and when they are raised but a few areas along Bangladesh and Pakistan will remain a priority owing to their vulnerability profile such as infiltration, drugs smuggling, human trafficking and illegal migration," the daily quoted a BSF official as saying.
With a significant increase in the number of Chinese transgressions along the Line of Actual Control in 2017, the ITBP is trying to reduce the inter-BoP (border outpost) distance. The force secures India’s long icy frontier with China with just 90,000 jawans. The BSF, in comparison, has a strength of about 2.5 lakh.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Introducing ElectionsHQ + 50 Ground Reports Project
The 2024 elections might seem easy to guess, but there are some important questions that shouldn't be missed.
Do freebies still sway voters? Do people prioritise infrastructure when voting? How will Punjab vote?
The answers to these questions provide great insights into where we, as a country, are headed in the years to come.
Swarajya is starting a project with an aim to do 50 solid ground stories and a smart commentary service on WhatsApp, a one-of-a-kind. We'd love your support during this election season.
Click below to contribute.