In a first, Centre sanctions Border Intelligence Posts along the LAC to keep an eye on China

Mago (Arunachal Pradesh):

The Centre has for the first time sanctioned Border Intelligence Posts (BIPs) along the Line of Actual Control to keep an eye on China’s activities, including military and weapons buildup, as well as regular transgression and incursion attempts to change the status quo, people familiar with the development said on Monday.

The BIPs will have intelligence officials deployed to gather and develop inputs from the LAC in collaboration with the troops of the Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), agencies such as National Technical Research Organisation, Intelligence Bureau and Research and Analysis Wing regarding any unusual activity of Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

“Each BIP, which will be created along with the border outposts (BOPs) of ITBP, would have 4-5 intelligence officers with specific duties. They will submit reports to the government regarding any unusual activity,” an official said, declining to be named.

Currently, there are over 180 BOPs of ITBP at the LAC from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh. The government had earlier this year sanctioned 47 additional border outposts and 12 staging camps of the border guarding force, also known as Himveers, along the LAC, for which 9,400 personnel (seven battalions) have been approved.

The official cited above didn’t disclose the exact number of BIPs and budget approved for it by the Centre, but said all sensitive BOPs will have these specially trained intelligence officers with access to latest surveillance tools.

The development comes in the wake of China flexing its muscle at the LAC, provoking India through regular attempted intrusions and its push to build up military infrastructure such as airfields and missile sites.

The two nations have been in a face-off at several points at the LAC since June 2020 clash in Galwan Valley in Ladakh. On December 9 last year, PLA troops also intruded into Yangste in Arunachal Pradesh, which led to a clash that resulted in injuries to soldiers on both sides.

Since the India-China border is not fully demarcated, and both sides have different perceptions of the LAC, PLA troops often transgress into disputed areas.

Following Galwan and Yangste, Indian government has not only ramped up its infrastructure at the LAC, but has introduced schemes for the development of border villages.

The difference could be seen in Mago, the first village on the border with China in Chuna sector in western Arunachal Pradesh, visited by HT on Monday. Till 2020, Mago had no road connectivity and winter supplies for the army and ITBP were dropped via helicopters, but a blacktop road has since been built right till the border, allowing armed forces to move vehicles, artillery and troops.

The border villages are being developed by providing them roads, mobile connectivity and round the clock electricity through hydropower projects being built by Arunachal Pradesh government. This work is expected to accelerate under the Vibrant Village Programme (VVP), announced by Union home minister Amit Shah in April.

Speaking at a cultural function at Mago, organised to boost troop morale, Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu said that out of 665 villages in first phase of VVP, 453 are in Arunachal Pradesh. “The army and ITBP have a major role to play in developing these border villages. We are building roads till the end, we have built advance landing grounds and efforts are on to increase tourism,” he said. “For troops, facilities are being reoriented, like temporary sheds are being replaced with permanent structures. The army and ITBP camps will get electricity from hydropower projects.”

Army officers deployed in Tawang and Chuna in Arunachal Pradesh, who didn’t want to be named, said currently the situation is peaceful in the region after last year’s Yangste clash, and they have regular commander level meetings with their PLA counterparts.

Meanwhile, the army and ITBP are in the process of stocking supplies ahead of winter, when the entire region will be covered by snow and temperatures could drop up to minus 20 degrees.

“The country is safe when the borders are safe. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, now not a single border village is left where vehicles cannot reach. These border villages were neglected earlier,” Union minister for earth sciences Kiren Rijiju said on Monday, speaking at the same function. “I assure you that in next six months, all border villages will also have 4G connectivity.”

Rijiju also said a concept paper on implementing VVP has been sent to the home ministry and work has begun.

“Army, ITBP and state government are doing great work to secure our borders,” said Bollywood actor Randeep Hooda, who visited Mago to encourage soldiers. “They are standing firm against any threat.”