NEW DELHI, 7 Jan: The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has brought “forward” 33 of its earmarked 56 border posts along the India-China LAC and deployed six new battalions as part of its plan to enhance operational capabilities along the icy front.
ITBP Director General (DG) Rahul Rasgotra said this during the force’s 63rd raising day parade on Tuesday in Odisha’s Khordha district.
The about-90,000-personnel strong, mountain warfare-trained paramilitary marks its annual raising day on 24 October but the ceremonial event kept getting delayed for over two months due to a variety of reasons, a senior officer told PTI.
The DG said the force prepared a “forwardisation plan” and, as part of this, a total of 56 ITBP border posts along the India-China line of actual control (LAC) were being brought “closer” to the front.
Of the 56 border posts, 33 had already been brought closer to the border, he said.
The ITBP chief said also that the government sanctioned seven new battalions for border guarding tasks sometime ago.
Of these, six have been deployed along the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh while one is being based along the front in Sikkim.
Rasgotra also said the force’s technology-based surveillance capabilities were reviewed and, after some “shortcomings” were found, it was decided that these deficiencies would be removed under the forthcoming modernisation plan.
The DG said that the ITBP would also use the countrywide fibre network for ensuring “secure” operational communications and soon send a proposal to the union home ministry for upgrading its weaponry.
Speaking about the operations of the border force in Maoist violence-affected areas, the DG said some forward bases would soon be created in the most difficult jungle areas of Abujhmad in Chhattisgarh.(PTI)
