Enhance our surveillance skills on border: ITBP to Centre

Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh), Oct 25 (IANS) The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has asked the government to enhance its surveillance and intelligence gathering skills along the China border, Chief of the paramilitary force R.K. Pachnanda said on Thursday.

The force has also, for the first time, introduced 'war games' for its commanders to better prepare them for all types of conflicts on the disputed and icy terrain.

Speaking at the 57th raising day function of the force, Pachnanda said he has sent a proposal to the Home Ministry for implementing a comprehensive integrated border management system (CIBMS) along the 3,488-km India-China border so that all tech-based tools for border guarding are collaborated for better results.

He said the aim is to integrate the surveillance gadgets, long-range reconnaissance devices, radars and cameras onto a smart platform so that technology and gadgets will man large areas of this inhospitable terrain. 

The areas which are snow-laden, face arduous climate and are in hard mountainous terrain can be covered by the CIBMS project and an eye can be kept on any movement at this frontier, Pachnanda said.

The war games introduced by the force for its commanders will test the decision-making skills of commanders of ITBP over a simulated presentation of a war or conflict-like situation.

Also, to enhance its footprint along this border, the force has also begun opening tactical headquarters for all of its border units along the India-China border.

Tactical headquarters is a base which is located deep inside the border area and is operated by a senior officer and his armed contingent.

Joint exercises and war games have been introduced to enhance the professional and operational effectiveness of the force personnel, Pachnanda said.

The ITBP Chief said that the force had also opened a maiden intelligence training school to further strengthen its snoop collection capabilities during operations.

Home minister Rajnath Singh said during the event that the government has recently provided "high-powered SUVs, all-terrain vehicles and snow scooters" to the ITBP for enhancing their operational prowess.

He added that authorisation has already been given to the force to hire two helicopters for its dedicated use to supply rations and manpower to those border posts along the China border which can only be reached by air.