ITBP operationalises its per-sanctioned two commands in Chandigarh and Guwahati

Mukesh Ranjan
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 5

Indo-China border guarding force ITBP has operationalised its newly sanctioned twin commands in Chandigarh and Guwahati that supervise the deployment of its troops along the 3,488 km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC) with the neighbouring country.

Noting that “an imperative need is felt to make these establishments functional immediately”, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force in an order, a copy of which is with The Tribune, appointed its Inspector General (operations) MS Rawat to take charge and lead the Western Command in Chandigarh with immediate effect “in the capacity of Additional Director General (ADG)”.

He, however, will continue to hold his charge of IG (operations, intelligence and veterinary) till a new incumbent is posted, the order added.

Sources in the force said, another IG rank officer will similarly head the Guwahati-based Eastern Command, as more officials are being posed there to fully activate it.

They said the recent standoff between Indian and Chinese forces in the Ladakh area and other parts of the LAC is a major reason for the quick initiation of the two commands stipulated to be headed by an Additional Director General (ADG) rank officer, equivalent to Lt Gen in the Army.

Officials said since the force currently does not have ADG rank officer with it, senior IG rank officers are being deputed to officiate in the ADG post.

A senior ITBP official said, “It is a proud moment for us. The force, which is as small as of 90,000 personnel, now has two commands. We are also reinforcing strength in the border areas owing to the standoff with the China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA).”  

A decision for creating two commands – one for western theatre and other for eastern theatre – was taken in October last year, but it could not be implemented owing to some administrative issue, the official said.  

“But now with the two commands in place they will help the force to have better operational functioning along the border and LAC starting from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh,” he added.

The commands are designed to streamline operations, intelligence, deployment and administrative movements of ITBP personnel to the border regions and also bring better synergy with the Army that secures the LAC, the officials said.

The Western Command will have control over ITBP deployments in the Dehradun-based Northern Frontier that have Shimla, Dehradun and Bareilly sectors and the North-West Frontier, that was shifted from Chandigarh to Leh in April last year and has sectors in Srinagar and Ladakh.

The ITBP Leh frontier is headed by an Inspector General-rank officer who is equivalent to a Major General of the Army.