Taliban on mind, training module of security personnel to be reoriented

Mukesh Ranjan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 12

The border guarding forces —BSF and SSB — as well as central and state police forces engaged in counterterrorism operations have been asked to prepare and reorient their training programme in view of the new security challenges, which are likely to be thrown up after the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.

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The Border Security Force deployed on the western and eastern frontiers with Pakistan and Bangladesh, respectively, the Sashastra Seema Bal guarding the borders with Nepal and Bhutan and the CRPF and Jammu & Kashmir Police engaged in the UT have been asked to prepare and administer a new training module on the Taliban and their modus operandi in view of the “emerging” scenario. Security sources said the developments in Afghanistan have a “serious bearing” on the security situation in India. Hence, the ground forces and their intelligence set-up have been asked to update and upgrade their strategy, tactics and combat mode to guard the country’s interests, both at the borders and in the hinterland.

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The directives in the matter, issued a few days back, also talk about a scenario where infiltration from Pakistan on India’s west and illegal entry of terrorist operatives from open fronts in the east with Bangladesh and in the north with Nepal may increase.

A senior security official said the directives under the heading “changing dynamics of border management” include “updated information on the Taliban”.

“A full-fledged training, intelligence and combat module on Taliban, their leadership and modus operandi are to be prepared apart from specific case studies that have taken place in that country and the region,” the official said.

The directives have been forwarded to the central and state police forces which have multiple levels of training centres to train their personnel and officers during induction and while in service.

“Senior and top commanders of the security forces may already know most of the things about Afghanistan and the Taliban situation but they draw their operational strength from the troops who need to be well-informed,” said the official.

At least one such session has been conducted in two central forces post the issuance of the new directives while a webinar for all these forces is being planned in a combined manner to be held later this month, said a senior official of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Strategy, tactics set for upgrade

• The BSF, SSB, CRPF and J&K Police have been asked to prepare a new training module on the Taliban and their modus operandi
• Security forces have been asked to update and upgrade their strategy, tactics and combat mode to guard the country

Infiltration threat

The directives on the training issued a few days back also talk about a scenario where infiltration from Pakistan on India’s west and illegal entry of terrorist operatives from open fronts in the east and in the north may increase.