Four new ITBP battalions deployed in Arunachal to boost India-China border security

Arunachal Pradesh is set to witness the deployment of four recently established battalions of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), a strategic step to reinforce security along the extensive 3,488-km India-China border. Reports indicate that this development coincides with the ongoing border negotiations between the two nations, leading up to the anticipated visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping for the G-20 summit scheduled from 9 to 10 September.

According to sources, four out of the seven authorized battalions have reached readiness for deployment, with the remaining three being actively raised, all set to be established before the 2025 deadline.

This move aligns with the Union cabinet’s earlier sanction for the creation of seven new battalions and an operational border base, thereby expanding ITBP’s personnel strength by 9,400.

The new units are slated to be stationed across 47 freshly established border outposts (BOPs) and twelve new ‘staging camps,’ strategically spread across India’s northern frontier.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police shares the responsibility of safeguarding the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, collaborating closely with the Indian Army. Presently, troop rotations take place every three months at each of the 180 BOPs, each consisting of 140 soldiers.

Amidst the backdrop of the 2020 standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies in Ladakh, the bolstered security measures assume even greater significance. Highlighting the distribution strategy, officials emphasised that 34 of the planned 47 BOPs will be strategically positioned in the rugged and challenging terrain of Arunachal Pradesh, with the remaining outposts located in the western theater.