12,000 ITBP personnel to be deployed along China border

[rajkumar singh]

NEW DELHI: Against the backdrop of over 300 transgressions by the Chinese army along the line of actual control till August this year, the government has given an in-principle approval for induction of nearly 12,000 personnel in the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, a force which guards the 3,488km-long India-China border.-

The 12 new battalions (12,000 personnel) will be recruited mainly for deployment at 54 new border outposts (BoPs) that will be set along LAC in Arunachal Pradesh, official sources said here.-

It will bolster the presence of ITBP along the strategic frontier in Arunachal Pradesh which has witnessed incursion attempts from Chinese side because of large gaps between two border posts.-

Chinese army transgressed the border 334 times till August 4, this year.-

"An in-principle approval has been made in this regard," a senior home ministry official said and added that after a final approval, large scale recruitment will be carried out in a phased manner over a period of five years.-

Apart from setting up of 54 new border outposts, the home minister had also announced a Rs 175 crore package for beefing up infrastructure along the border in Arunachal Pradesh.

-Times of India

 

[Kshatriya87]

I think someone had posted this already.

 

[sorcerer]

Govt Nod to Raise 8 more ITBP Battalions for Deployment Along China LAC

JAMMU: In a bid to strengthen positions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in Ladakh and other sectors, the Centre Government has given nod for raising and subsequent deployment of eight new battalions of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) along 4056 kilometers LAC that India shares with its neighbour in five States including Jammu and Kashmir.

Official sources told the Excelsior that the Centre Government has approved raising of eight new battalions of the ITBP exclusively for deployment along LAC with China to strengthen the paramilitary force, which has been deployed all along the LAC with China including Eastern Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir and four other States.


“The process for raising the new battalions would start shortly. As soon as training of the ITBP personnel for deployment in rugged mountains is completed, they will be deployed along 4056 kilometers LAC with China including 687 kilometers in Eastern Ladakh,” they said.
Asserting that new battalions will go a long way in strengthening Indian positions along the LAC with China, sources said the battalions would have the jawans well trained for deployment in the mountains and meeting any kind of challenges. The ITBP for the long had been stressing for increasing its men and machinery, which has been conceded by the Centre.


In addition to eight new battalions, sources said, the Centre has also given its nod to providing equipments to the ITBP at par with the Army to strengthen the force and keep it always ready for any kind of situation developing along the LAC though it didn’t foresee any kind of hostilities developing along the LAC.

“The Centre has approved strengthening equipments for the ITBP at par with the Army especially for the troops which were deployed along the LAC with China in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Uttarakhand,” sources said, adding the Centre feels that strengthening the ITBP would mean strengthening Indian positions all along the LAC with China.
According to sources, the Centre has also approved Rs 500 crores worth grant that was in addition to raising of battalions and providing equipment to the paramilitary force. This amount, they said, would be used by the ITBP to strengthen infrastructure for its personnel deployed in mountains including construction of quarters and posts for them.

“The Centre has assigned the study for construction of quarters and posts in treacherous mountains, where the ITBP has been deployed, to IIT-Roorkie,” sources said, adding the constructions would start after receipt of the report as the Government has sanctioned the amount.

India has already conveyed to China that it was going to expedite construction of infrastructure along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh and that it shouldn’t try to disrupt it taking the excuse of un-demarcated boundary as it had done on some previous occasions.
India’s point of view has already been conveyed to China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) officials during series of meetings between Sino-Indian military officials at the Border Meeting Points on the LAC.

This time, according to sources, the Chinese attitude was very positive and they indicated that the PLA wouldn’t object to construction activity on the Indian side whenever it was taken up provided that it (the construction work) didn’t obstruct the activities of Chinese troops.

Sources said the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Home Affairs, whose troops and para-military personnel-the Army and ITBP-cover the LAC along Eastern Ladakh, have decided to undertake large scale construction activity along the LAC for benefit of troops manning the LAC.
“The major focus was on construction of roads right up to the posts of the Indian Army and the ITBP to ensure free and easy access to the troops to carry out their activities along the LAC including deployment of men and machinery. The budgetary approvals for the construction works stand granted,” sources said, adding that the initial reaction from the Chinese Army was very positive as they were not averse to construction activity within the Indian side.

Source>>

 

[Prashant12]

To patrol high-altitude Chinese border, ITBP gets sleek snow scooters

The new snow scooters procured by ITBP for patrol along the Indo-China border.(PTI)

Expensive and sleek snow scooters, usually found at ice-capped tourist spots for adventure sport lovers, have for the first time being inducted for patrol by ITBP troops along the Sino-Indian frontier.

Five of these powerful scooters, procured from a US-based firm, have been deployed at high-altitude border locations of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in Ladakh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim that overlook the Chinese PLA deployment on the other side.

Officials said the modern scooters, all costing around Rs 1 crore, can seat two personnel (driver and pillion rider) with their rifle and ammunition in tow and can negotiate a 45-degree slope on the hills and are supported by chaincase belts to help the 278 kg machine glide smooth and cut through the ice.

The force, as part of bolstering its capabilities to effectively secure the 3,488km border, had last year procured over six dozen SUVs and sent them to far-flung border areas for patrol and transport.

An Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel stands guard in a snow-hit region of Jammu & Kashmir. (AFP File)
This is the first time that such scooters, used for tourist purposes in the upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh and by defence forces for training, have been procured and inducted for operational roles by Indian Security forces.

“These snow scooters have been procured as part of the modernisation of the force to better equip the personnel on ground in rendering their duties in the hard areas they serve. These will act as force multipliers,” ITBP spokesperson Deputy Commandant Vivek K Pandey said.

The black and white scooters, 325 mm in length, are powered by hydraulic brakes for effective ground control and its carbureted ignition system can hold over 41 litres of fuel in one go and are one the most modern variants of such patrol vehicles produced in the world and used by global security forces who have icy terrains to guard.

The ITBP has sent these five vehicles to its mountain The ITBP has sent these five vehicles to its mountain training and skiing institute in Uttarakhand’s Auli where a select contingent of troops are being trained in its operations after which they will be sent to locations in Ladakh and Uttarakhand (2 each) and one to a border post above 16,000 feet in Sikkim.

Officials said the performance of these scooters will be analysed over few months and once found okay, more of such snow-terrain vehicles will be procured for the ITBP, primarily tasked to secure the Chinese frontier.

“The idea is to enhance the mobility of the troops in areas deep into the border locations and at high-altitudes. Once they are found to be useful, important locations on this border will be provided a cluster of these scooters for an entire patrol party to travel,” they said.


Last year, undertaking a maiden initiative, the force had purchased and deployed expensive SUVs, usually found zipping across roads in urban locations, at its high-altitude border posts along the Sino-India border to transport troopers.

The 80,000 personnel strong force is tasked with guarding the 3,488 km Sino-India border.

Its posts are in some of the harshest areas at this border with locations ranging from 9,000 feet to 18,000 feet where mercury often plunges to minus 20-30 degrees Celsius.


http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...ow-scooters/story-RMWyK0XR51lu4QFloyQCsL.html

 

[sorcerer]

ITBP to raise maiden mechanised column for quick deployment at China border

NEW DELHI: For the first time in its over 50 years history, theITBPis raising and deploying a mechanised column of power vehicles and machines to speedily mobilise troops along the

India-China borderin case ofChinese military transgressions and Doklam-like standoffs+
.

The decision to raise such a military-style combat wing in the paramilitary was taken after the Union home ministry recently approved deployment of snow scooters at all the high-altitude border outposts+ of the mountain-warfare trained force along the 3,488-km long frontier it guards.

A senior home ministry official told PTI on the condition of anonymity that the mechanised column of the force will comprise over 250 Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs), all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), snow scooters, excavators and few other medium-lift four-wheeled vehicles.

While the army has the mechanised infantry, it was essential to have a mechanised column in the border guarding force as it secures this border in peace times and will bear the first onslaught in case of a war or a conflict, the official said explaining the rationale for the latest move.

Till now, only the Border Security Force under the home ministry, that guards the Indo-Pak border, had an artillery unit and some mechanised components+ to aid it.

A proposal to raise a full-fledged mechanised column under the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force was moved by the forces' headquarters here sometime back, the official said, with the force Director General (DG) R K Pachnanda making a specific presentation to the ministry in this context.

The about 90,000-personnel force has sanctions to procure about 150 SUVs for high-altitude deployment, out of which it has about five dozen already deployed, half-a-dozen snow scooters and few excavators to clear snow-bound passes and landslide-prone border tracks.

A senior ITBP official said many more such vehicles and machines, including anti-skid ATVs, will be procured by the force in the next few months.

The force has about 30 border posts above the height of 15,000 feet and some 50 such posts above 12,000 feet and the home ministry has accorded sanctions to the ITBP to have at least one snow scooter at each of these frontier bases.

The force has also been given sanctions to upgrade its firepower by modernising the support weapons like 81mm mortars, he added.

"Sanctions have already been accorded to procure modern machines and vehicles for the force.

So, apart from expeditiously completing the construction of China border roads+ in the wake of Doklam-like incidents and transgressions, the government has decided to strengthen the assets and strength of the both the army and the ITBP, the first line of defence on the Line of Actual Control (LAC)," the home ministry official said.


The defence ministry had recently decided to

significantly enhance infrastructure along this border+
including around the areas of dispute with the Chinese forces.


The decision was taken at the Army's commanders conference which extensively deliberated on the Dokalam face off with China besides analysing all possible security challenges on the northern border.


The ITBP, as part of bolstering its capabilities to effectively secure this border, had last year procured over six dozen SUVs and sent them to far-flung border areas for patrol and transportation of troops and had similarly procured five snow scooters early this year.


The force was raised in 1962 in the aftermath of the Chinese aggression.

Cross POST!!!https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com...ment-at-china-border/articleshow/61089492.cms