MHA report: 29 new ITBP outposts set up along China border
New Delhi: The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has strengthened its presence with 29 new border outposts along the India-China border since 2020 as part of a broader security build-up along the 3,488 km border, according to a report of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The new border outposts (BOPs) span altitudes ranging from 9,000 feet to 18,750 feet across the Western, Middle, and Eastern sectors along the Himalayas, from the Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh, the report for 2024-25, released on Wednesday, said, adding the ITBP is manning a total of 209 BOPs.
The number of ITBP-managed BOPs was 180, according to the ministry’s earlier report for 2020-21.
The increase in the number of BOPs comes in the wake of the 2020 clash between Indian and Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley which marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades.
The ITBP had conducted 4,503 patrols along the Indo-China border from April to December 2024 to keep strict vigil, the latest report said.
“ITBP ensured security of the border and remained vigilant during heightened security scenarios along the Indo-China border,” it said.
The ministry created the Department of Border Management in January 2024 to focus on issues related to the management of international land and coastal borders.
The department works to strengthen border policing and guarding, the creation of infrastructure such as roads, fencing, flood lighting, and border outposts (BOPs)/ company operating bases (COBs) at the borders, and the implementation of the Border Area Development Programme (BADP).
The push is also being given on the India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders, where the ministry has approved the construction of BOPs, the report said.
“Out of 509 Composite BOPs, 383 Composite BOPs are to be constructed along the India-Bangladesh Border,” the annual report said.
Similar work has been done on the India-Nepal and India-Bhutan borders as well, it said.
