A properly documented border security strategy is a must for India’s border issues

R.C. Sharma

The ministry of home affairs (MHA) is the nodal ministry for border management and management of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). It has under its control border guarding CAPFs such as Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) for border security. They ensure border defence along international borders. The BSF also functions under army operational control on the Line of Control (LC). The Indian Army and ITBP operate independently of each other on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), creating professionally unadvisable dual system of command with one component reporting to the MHA and other to the ministry of defence (MoD). 

Dual and duplicate command system is antithesis to border and national security. Hence, border security strategy must address this anomaly in national security interest. Yet, there seems no documented border security strategy prepared taking into consideration the vulnerabilities which India faces along borders, and consequently, internally. As such, India needs a documented border security strategy to assess and analyse vulnerabilities during both peace and war times, their impact on national security, economy and societal harmony. 

This piece aims to discuss requisites for realistic border security strategy, methodology for border security and border defence. 

The MHA needs to appreciate that border security is not an ad hoc domain. It needs professional handling and for that there must be documented border security strategy prepared by domain experts. There is an urgent need to have well researched and analysed border security strategy to meet challenges in consonance with regional geopolitical dynamics shaped by India’s neighbours--Pakistan in the west, China and Nepal to the north, and Bangladesh and Bhutan in the east. 

What is Border Security Strategy?  

It can be defined as a realistic plan to deal with threats emanating from contiguous neighbours, given both their border guarding and defence capabilities, border security, and what is desired to be achieved. The first is protection of national interest i.e. security and territorial integrity of national borders and peace through strength and capabilities and define instruments of border security. These instruments are border guarding forces. They need urgent reforms to meet modern day border security challenges and