India to double troop numbers at China border

Zee Media Bureau/ Deepak Nagpal

New Delhi: A report claimed on Tuesday that the Central government has decided to almost double the number of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel deployed on the Indo-China border. The move is aimed at sending a strong signal to China, in the wake of continuing border disputes. While the Narendra Modi government, on one hand, is seeking further enhancement in trade and bilateral ties, it is also taking proactive steps to ensure greater presence on the Sino-India border. The report quoted highly-placed government sources as saying that the decision has been taken in the wake of several Chinese incursions that took place in the past few years. As per the report, the government has sanctioned the construction of 54 new border outposts along the disputed border with China. The proposal to double the ITBP numbers at the Indo-China border was made by the paramilitary force itself. At present, ITBP has nearly 40 outposts and around 15,000 troops along the frontier. The Narendra Modi government has adopted a proactive stance as regards dealing with the China threat, with Minster of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju highlighting the need to increase troop numbers, build infrastructure and modernise the forces to secure the border with China. Minister of State for Environment Prakash Javadekar recently said that infrastructure projects along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China would be fast-tracked, and that norms for green clearances for such projects would be relaxed.