The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is making efforts to strengthen security along the India-China border by moving 33 border outposts (BOPs) closer to the edge of the country. The Director General of ITBP, Rahul Rasgotra, announced this during a special parade for the force.
He mentioned that there is a plan to establish 56 border outposts in total, with 33 already moved closer to the border. This change will make it easier for ITBP to patrol the area, as they won’t have to travel long distances anymore. The Ministry of Home Affairs has also approved the formation of seven new battalions, which means around 9,000 more officers will be dedicated to border security.
Currently, the ITBP, which has about 96,222 personnel, manages a 3,488 km stretch of the India-China border. The patrol units often had to travel a long way, sometimes 15 to 40 km away from their BOPs, which took a lot of time. By placing the BOPs closer, they can patrol more effectively.
In the past year, ITBP conducted 6,561 patrols along the border. At the parade, Rasgotra also announced that ITBP plans to support local economies by signing agreements with the governments of Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh. These agreements will allow ITBP to buy local products from border villages, helping both the locals and the ITBP to get better supplies. They hope to establish similar agreements in Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim soon.
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