Mihir Paul

Instances of intrusion and attacks at bases like Pathankot and Uri in the past made the border guarding forces and government realise the harsh truth – the borders of India weren’t as secure as previously thought. This realisation brought with it a dire need for technologically upgrading the security measures of our borders and the border guarding forces.

Home minister Rajnath Singh inaugurating the CIBMS pilot project, in Jammu

While the idea of deploying a comprehensive border management system with state-of-the-art technology was decided as early as 2012, it was only after multiple instances of brazen intrusion and the consequent harrowing attacks on bases that the government decided to deploy technological solutions in the form of the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS).

CIBMS uses a plethora of sensors, radars, and devices, and a delay in the procurement of the technology caused a delay in the deployment of the pilot project in Jammu. The Indo-Bangladesh border in Assam’s Dhubri area was the first location to receive CIBMS on 11 April 2018. It was only on 17 September 2018 when CIBMS was finally deployed along the border in Jammu. Covering two stretches of 5.5 kilometres, this system supposedly creates an invisible electronic barrier across multiple terrains and helps the border guarding forces in detecting and disrupting any infiltration attempts.

Amidst the discussion of utilising state-of-the-art technology in the CIBMS, a burning question arises – is CIBMS alone the answer to better border security? To explore an answer to that question, one must see how the current equipment is being used by the Border Security Force (BSF). Most of the BSF battalions deployed at the borders are equipped with devices like Hand Held Thermal Imagery (HHTI) systems, Long Range Reconnaissance Observation Systems (LORROS), Battle Field Surveillance Radars (BFSR), etc.

While the currently available technology and surveillance systems d