Amit Shah Wants ITBP To Monitor PLA In Arunachal

The Indian Army guards the Line of Actual Control -- India's border with China -- along with the ITBP.

IMAGE: Indo-Tibetan Border Police women personnel patrol close to the border with China in Arunachal Pradesh. Photograph: ANI Photo

Following last fortnight's clash between Indian and Chinese troops, the Cabinet Committee on Security has approved the procurement of 17 high-resolution cameras for the Indo-Tibetan Border Police to monitor the People's Liberation Army.

These cameras will help gathering intelligence on PLA movements.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assigned this specific responsibility to ITBP Director General Dr Anish Dayal Singh, who also holds additional charge of the Sashastra Seema Bal.

Dr Singh, an Indian Police Service officer, earlier served as Special Director, Intelligence Bureau.

Dr Singh recently spent three days at ITBP border posts to boost the morale of his troops.

The Indian Army guards the Line of Actual Control -- India's border with China -- along with the ITBP. The Line of Control -- India's border with Pakistan -- is guarded by the army along with the Border Security Force.

IMAGE: Union Home Minister Amit Shah holds a review meeting over border security with directors generals and senior officers of the ITBP, the Border Security Force, and the Sashastra Seema Bal in Kishanganj, Bihar, September 24, 2022. Photograph: ANI Photo

The ITBP had been allocated Rs 7,461.28 crore (Rs 74.61 billion) in the 2022-2023 Budget, an increase from the Rs 6,965.02 crore (Rs 69.65 billion) in the previous Budget.

"In keeping with the increasingly important and high-risk roles being performed by the CAPFs (Central Armed Police Forces) in maintaining internal security and guarding of borders, there has been a corresponding increase in Budget provisions for actual expenditure over the past 10 financial years," home ministry officials told this correspondent.

Weapons, equipment and vehicles procured by CAPFs under modernisation plan-III include multi-grenade launchers, under-barrel grenade launchers, assault rifles, 9-mm SMG beretta guns, and bomb detection and disposal equipment, the officials added.

IMAGE: An ITBP patrol covered a distance of 7,575 km in 75 days, from the Karakoram Pass to Jachep La, October 15, 2022. Photograph: ANI Photo

IMAGE: Most of the ITBP's Border Out Posts are located at altitudes ranging from 9,000 feet to 18,800 feet where temperatures drop to minus 45 degrees Celsius in extreme winter. Photograph: ANI Photo

The ITBP helps the Indian Army guard the 3,488 kilometre-long India-China border ranging from the Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh.

Most of the ITBP's Border Out Posts are located at altitudes ranging from 9,000 feet to 18,800 feet where temperatures drop to minus 45 degrees Celsius in extreme winter.