INDO-TIBETAN BORDER POLICE

Why In News?

Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Director General publicly confirmed ongoing border face-offs between Indian troops and Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) forces at multiple locations in Arunachal Pradesh.  

About Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is a Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) of India that functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs. 

• Raised on: October 24, 1962 (in the wake of the Sino-Indian War)

• Motto: Shaurya-Dridhata-Karma Nishtha (Valour – Determination – Devotion to Duty)

• Headquarters: New Delhi

• Personnel Nickname: Himveers (Bravehearts of the Himalayas)

• Head: Headed by a Director General  

Mandate 

• Border Guarding: Operates under the One Border, One Force policy to guard the 3,488 km long India-China border. 

• Geographical Range: Stretches from the Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh (covering Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh).  

• Extreme Terrain: Maintains Border Out Posts (BOPs) at altitudes ranging from 9,000 to 18,800 feet, where winter temperatures can plummet to -45°C.  

Evolution  

• Initial Raising: Raised in 1962 under the CRPF Act with an initial strength of 4 battalions.

• Statutory Act: Parliament enacted the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force Act in 1992, with rules framed in 1994.

• Full-Fledged Force: Declared a full-fledged CAPF in 2004, taking over frontier sectors from the Assam Rifles in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.  

Key Roles and Functions

• High-Altitude Operations: Specialized in mountain warfare, high-altitude rescue, rock-climbing, and skiing.  

• Internal Security: Deployed for Anti-Naxal operations (Left Wing Extremism) in states like Chhattisgarh, as well as general law and order and election duties.  

• Disaster Management: Acts as a designated first responder for natural disasters (such as flash floods and avalanches) in the Himalayan belt under the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) framework.  

• Pilgrimage Security: Manages security and logistics support for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and the Char Dham pilgrimage. 

• International / Diplomatic Security: Secures Indian diplomatic missions and posts abroad, including in Afghanistan.  

About Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF)

The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) refer to the unified nomenclature of seven central security forces in India under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). They are responsible for internal security, border guarding, counter-terrorism, and maintaining law and order. 

The 7 Forces of CAPF

• Border Security Force (BSF): Guards the land borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh; it is one of the world's largest border guarding forces. 

• Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF): The largest force, handling internal security, anti-naxal/counter-insurgency operations (including the CoBRA wing), riot control (including RAF), and election duties. 

• Central Industrial Security Force (CISF): Secures critical infrastructure such as airports, seaports, nuclear plants, and heavy industries.  

• Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP): Patrols and guards the high-altitude border with China in the Himalayan region.  

• Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB): Guards the open borders with Nepal and Bhutan.  

• Assam Rifles (AR): India's oldest paramilitary force (established in 1835), guarding the Indo-Myanmar border under a dual-control structure between MHA and the Indian Army. 

• National Security Guard (NSG): India's federal elite counter-terrorism and hijacking contingency force.  

Key Responsibilities

• Border Management: Preventing illegal immigration, cross-border infiltration, and smuggling.

• Internal Security: Assisting state police forces in managing public order, communal flare-ups, and insurgency.

• Elections & Disasters: Providing security deployments during national/state elections and executing rescue operations during natural disasters.  

Source: INDIANEXPRESS