With over half-a-dozen tunnels used for infiltration by terrorists along the line of Control (loC) and International Border (IB) having been detected by the Indian Army and the Border Security Force in the last few years, the paramilitary force has now tied up with IIT-Bombay to prepare a comprehensive integrated border security management plan that will include technological know-how to detect illegal tunnels on the Indo-Pakistan border. The border management plan will be implemented along the Indo-Bangla border also.
According to sources, the use of tunnels is not new, but has been going on for a long time across the entire stretch of the border with Pakistan for smuggling as well as terrorist activities. A Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) for 24x7x365 surveillance of the border through technology is the only way to check infiltration on Indo-Pakistan borders. The Centre has planned to cover the entire border with “technological surveillance”.
The BSF, which is the country’s first line of defence at the India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders, has thus decided to seek the IIT’s help to combine various integrative technologies. “We are doing so to strengthen the border security grid and corresponding internal security domains,” said a senior BSF officer.
An important component of the CIBMS will be the use of satellite imagery to provide security forces with details of the terrain and fortifications across the border. Besides, it will help in planning operations and in infrastructure development.
“CIBMS will also help security forces catch those who help in infiltration from the Indian side of the border, as the radars will have 360-degree camera coverage, and the cameras will work round-the-clock, maintaining surveillance on both sides,” an officer said.
The force will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Center of Excellence in Technology for Internal Security (NCETIS) of IIT Bombay on July 8. NCETIS was set up by IIT Bombay in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organization with an initial grant of Rs 100 crore. BSF Director-General KK Sharma and Director of IIT Bombay Devang V Khakhar will sign a MoU on July 8, in this regard. Senior officials of the Union Home Ministry will also be present on the occasion.
The NCETIS was set up after the Government found that terrorists were using modern warfare tools and technology. The NCETIS is required to supply new technologies to improve Intelligence-gathering, dissemination, crime detection and law enforcement, specifically geared to the Indian threat scenario, terrain and other facets peculiar to India. The force has resolved to mark 2017 as the year of ‘Technology’.
“The organization is working towards inducting not only technology but also augmenting human capacity to optimize its uses. The standard formats are being customized for BSF use in peculiar situations that might call in for indigenous Research & Development. This offers an in-house opportunity to BSF in utilizing the talents of its officers possessing technical as well as strategic skills. For any growing organization to maintain its efficacy, all these aspects are important,” BSF officials said.