Context: The unending threats to Indian borders and recent developments call for a comprehensive review of border management to ensure the all-weather security.
What makes India’s border management difficult?

• India shares land borders with Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, which stretch approximately 15,106 km.
• In addition, we have an approximately 3,323 km-long LoC with Pakistan, which further extends to the rechristened 110 km stretch of “Actual Ground Position Line” (AGPL) dividing the Siachen glacier region.

Further east, we have the 3,488 km LAC with China.

• We share maritime boundaries with Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar and Indonesia; we have a 7,683 km coastline and an approximately 2 million sq km exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
• This makes India’s task more complex than most other countries.

Multiple agencies securing borders

• Complexity is accentuated by the fact that along with the army, we have multiple other security agencies — the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and the Paramilitary Forces (PMF) — sharing the responsibility.

While the army is deployed along the LoC and AGPL, the Border Security Force (BSF) looks after the international border with Pakistan and Bangladesh.

• Guarding the LAC has been assigned to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Assam Rifles.
• The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) is responsible for guarding the borders with Nepal and Bhutan.
• The Assam Rifles looks after our border with Myanmar.

In a nutshell, in addition to the army, we have four agencies guarding borders with six neighbours.

• Conversely, maritime borders are guarded by a single agency — the Coast Guard.

Need for review of the border management

• There is a lack of a coherent policy on training, planning and the conduct of guarding operations among various outfits.
• Overall coordination is also affected.
• Our adversary on the western border has often escalated violations by resorting to the prolonged use of military resources.
• Chinese provocations along the LAC are military operations.
• Clearly, the peace-time scenario is now by and large militarised.

Suggestion

• Single security agency: In this scenario, India needs a single security agency adequately equipped, suitably armed and trained in advanced military drills and sub-unit tactics to guard our borders.
• Manpower from Army: Further, to augment the battle efficiency, a fixed percentage of manpower, including the officer cadre, should be drawn on deputation from the army.
• Paramilitary force under Ministry of Defence: To ensure the desired training and operational standards, this single security agency should be designated as a paramilitary force under the Ministry of Defence and operate under the army.
• Mergers: The ITBP and the SSB should be fully merged into the new outfit; the BSF and CRPF still have important internal security duties and can be partially merged.

The reorganised Assam Rifles too should retain its role of conducting counter-insurgency operations and act as a reserve for the army for conventional operations.

• Most countries have raised specialised and dedicated armed bodies for border security.
• Iran has the Border Guard Command, Italy has the Border Police Service, Russia has created a Border Guard Service, whereas in the US, it is under Homeland Security.
• Most of these countries, based on threat perception and for better combat cohesion, have placed these organisations under the command of the armed forces.

Road Ahead

• India should adopt a single agency with adequate resources and training to deal with the evolving challenges. Recent developments warrant a comprehensive review of border management to ensure the all-weather security of our borders.