Post Doklam stand-off, SSB increases presence on India-Bhutan border

In view of the Doklam stand-off between the Indian and Chinese armies, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) on Wednesday said it has increased its strength along the India-Bhutan border. SSB Director General Rajni Kant Mishra said, "Following Doklam stand-off, SSB is slightly increasing its presence in the eastern part of Sikkim along the India-Bhutan border."

According to the newly-appointed SSB chief — a 1984 batch Uttar Pradesh cadre IPS officer — several border outposts have been set up along the border.

The force continues to be in an expansion mode and has grown almost three times since it became a combatised border guarding force in 2001, especially so after Doklam stand-off. With an addition of a Sector headquarter headed by a DIG at Bomdila in Arunachal Pradesh in 2016, all 18 sector headquarters sanctioned to SSB are in operation. After Doklam two more battalions have been raised, and thus the total number of available battalions is currently 69 — Only 4 short of the authorised number of 73 battalions. Mishra said that four more battalions are also in the process for raising and they will be functional by December 31, 2017.

SSB has raised eight more Border Out-Posts (BOPs) increasing the total number of BOPs from 627 in January, 2017 to 635 in November 2017.

The SSB guards the 1,751-km India-Nepal and 699-km India-Bhutan borders since its inception.

Also various modernisation works were carried out by the force since the stand-off. This year, the force has acquired two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) of Netra II version and is in the process of acquiring two Laser Based Explosive cum Narcotic Detectors.

The force has got fresh authorisation from MHA for 9,917 Assault Rifles, 22 Automatic Grenade Launcher, 324 Underbarrel Grenade Launchers, and 14 Multiple Grenade Launcher, and they will be procured by March, 2018.

A multi-purpose boardroom has also been established at Force Headquarters improving our connectivity with our field units through advanced video conferencing facilities. Safe movement of our troops will be ensured by adding seven numbers of mine protected vehicles, 15 Light Armed Troop Carriers and 12 Bullet Proof Vehicles to fleet.

Besides, 114 numbers of "smart plus" equipments, 92 numbers of Radio set and two Ku-Band VSAT from BSNL will soon be procured, go a long way in strengthening existing robust communication network.

Two week ago, sources in intelligence agencies stated that there has been a sudden surge in Chinese incursion along the Indo-Chinese border, after Doklam. In the months of October and November, when heavy snowfall starts making the Indo-Chinese border almost inaccessible, and the presence of troops starts thinning, a sudden surge in Chinese activity has made Indian security establishment wary about the future.

In the past two months, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) transgressed into India as many as 29 times through vehicles and at least thrice via aerial route. The transgressions happened across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladkah and Uttarakhand, especially in Trig Height, Despang Area, Pangong Tso in Ladakh and Rimkim in Uttarakhand.

Claiming the incursions as serious in nature, sources privy to the development said, on October 11, two Chinese choppers entered Tunjan La height in Rimkhim Uttrakhand 4.5 km inside Indian territory. In November, 15 such incidents were reported in Ladkah and Uttarakhand region. Sources said that generally, the number of transgression decrease during winters. However, this time, there is no stopping.

Since the stand-off, the PLA have pitched 386 tents just 200 metres away from the Doka La stand-off point, intelligence agencies said. Each tent has a capacity of four men. Besides, there are 30 tents that can accommodate two men each.

"They have also built 59 shelters, 110 bunkers, 10 hangers and stationed two mobile communication vehicles," said the source.

The Doklam dispute had began on June 16, when a construction party of the PLA started building a road near the disputed tri-junction of Indo-Sino and Bhutan border jutting near the Chumbi valley. It continued for 70 days during during which the soldiers of both the armies held their respective positions in what India described as "no war, no peace" mode. New Delhi and Beijing eventually agreed to pull back their troops towards the end of August.