Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)

Context:

Recently, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the raising of seven new battalions of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force.

Relevance:

GS III: Security Challenges

Dimensions of the Article:

1. About Indo-Tibetan Border Police
2. Roles and Responsibilities

About Indo-Tibetan Border Police:

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs.

• The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is one of the five Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) of India, which is responsible for guarding the country’s border with Tibet (China) along the Himalayan range.
• The motto of the Force: “Shaurya-Dridhata-Karma Nishtha” (Valour – Determination – Devotion to Duty).

History and Formation:

• It was raised in 1962, in the wake of the Sino-Indian War of 1962 for deployment along India’s border with China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.
• Its primary task was to guard the border with China and to prevent any further aggression.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• The ITBP is responsible for guarding the 3,488 km-long India-China border.
• It also provides security to various installations and projects in the region.
• The force is also deployed for disaster management and relief operations in the Himalayan region.
• ITBP personnel are also deployed for peacekeeping operations under the United Nations.

Organization:

• The ITBP is headed by a Director-General (DG) who is assisted by various other senior officers.
• The force is organized into several sectors, each headed by a Deputy Inspector General (DIG).
• Each sector is further divided into several battalions, each headed by a Commandant.

Recruitment and Training:

• ITBP recruits both male and female candidates for various posts.
• The selection process includes a written test, physical efficiency test, and medical examination.
• Once selected, candidates undergo rigorous training in various aspects of border guarding, including mountaineering, survival skills, and weapons handling.

Uniform and Insignia:

• The ITBP uniform is similar to that of the Army, with a distinct red and blue patch on the shoulder.
• The force’s insignia features two crossed Khukris (traditional Nepalese knives) with a snow lion in the background.

Awards and Honours:

• The ITBP has received several awards and honours, including two Presidential Unit Citations for its role in the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pakistan wars.
• ITBP personnel have also been awarded the Kirti Chakra, Shaurya Chakra, and other gallantry awards for their bravery and valour in the line of duty.

-Source: The Hindu