Why BSF needs a big upgrade, physically and technologically

With increased tension along the India-Bangladesh border and the frontier along Pakistan becoming a hotspot for armed smuggling, the manpower-starved Border Security Force (BSF) is in dire need to go high-tech.

The border guarding force has a strength of around 2.65 lakh to man 4,069-km India-Bangladesh border in the country’s east and 2,289-km-long border with Pakistan in the western flank. This essentially means there are around 41 people to guard one kilometre of border.

Non-border-related duties

But that’s a simplistic calculation. A large section of the force’s manpower is engaged in non-border-related duties, including implementation of central government’s civic schemes unrelated to defence and security.

That too when at least 20 percent of the force’s strength is in the higher age group of 45-60 years, and another about 20 percent is in the low medical category, making them unsuitable for operational responsibilities.

The Narendra Modi-led government in 2019 increased the age limit for the operational duty at the frontier to 60 from 57 years. Till 1998, the age limit was 55 years.

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Dwindling manpower

The strength of effective operational manpower is further dwindled due to leave, sporting, band and ceremonial activities.

The BSF has 13 frontiers, each with around 300 sportspersons and a 60-to-65-member contingent assigned for ceremonial duties, relieved from regular vigil and combat jobs. Their total strength will be equivalent to that of more than three battalions.

The BSF has 193 battalions, including four disaster management battalions, with each consisting of around 1,200 jawans and officers. A battalion comprises seven companies.

Many of these battalions are engaged in law-and-order maintenance duties. In the ethnic strife torn Manipur, 15 battalions or 105 companies are deployed. Another 14 battalions, that is 98 companies, are currently engaged in anti-Naxal operations in Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

Manpower diversion

This apart, the force is now and then sent for election duties, implementation of schemes such as National Beekeeping and Honey Mission, “Swachhata Hi Seva” campaign, monitoring e-Awas Yojna among all CAPFs, tree plantation and so on and so forth, further reducing force’s manpower for border guarding. The BSF has planted over 25 lakh saplings at various locations throughout India until October this year.

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A contingent of 160 personnel, including 21 females, is posted in the North Kivu province of Democratic Republic of Congo as part of the United Nations peacekeeping mission.

To top it off, three battalions are posted in BSF headquarters in New Delhi primarily for administrative and other work that has no connection with border guarding.

Situation critical

Reeling out these figures, a senior BSF official told The Federal that the manpower crunch started pinching more after the situation turned critical along India-Bangladesh border in the recent months.

The increased threat prompted the BSF to deploy forces directly at the zero line along the Bangladesh border in certain patches such as the entire span from Farakka to Kakmarichar in Murshidabad district. The deployment is expected to enhance border protection, and ease surveying and border fencing process.

The India-Bangladesh border is already a major transit route for smuggling of narcotics, counterfeit currencies, gold and silver.

Also Read: BSF reviews borders security, nabs 11 Bangladeshis while infiltrating into India

The volume of seizure of these items by the BSF in the recent past was much higher on the eastern front than on the western front, the official said, adding that this is a recent trend. Earlier this border was mainly used for smuggling of cattle, ganja, contraband cough syrups and consumer goods of not very high value.

Narcotics seizure

Of the total narcotics seizure of 12298.937 kg made by the BSF until October 31 this year, 11866.788 kg was seized in the eastern front, according to a compilation made by the force. Similarly, the entire seizure of fake Indian currency notes with face value of Rs 32 lakh was made in the eastern frontier. The eastern front also contributed over 90 per cent of the total smuggled gold and silver confiscated by the BSF this year.

The western frontier has been mainly used for smuggling of arms, ammunition and explosives as per the trend emerged from the BSF’s seizure list. Even drones are used for smuggling of these items from Pakistan. The BSF, in October this year, seized from a border village in Punjab’s Fazilka, one kilo of RDX explosive reportedly dropped through a drone from Pakistan.

The BSF troops deployed on western border shot down or seized 257 drones till October this year. Almost all of these intercepted drones were made in China, sources said.

The use of drones for smuggling activities has though not yet been noticed in the eastern front, the BSF official said Pakistan might try to use Bangladeshi soil for anti-India activities as it did in the 1990s and early 2000s with the help of allegedly pro-Islamabad governments in Dhaka.

Also Read: BSF prevents about 1,000 Bangladeshis from entering India

Electronic surveillance

The possibility is making the force reevaluate its strength on the ground, and increase the use of technology. The force is now placing more emphasis on increasing electronic surveillance of vulnerable patches. There are over 600 identified "vulnerable patches" along the India-Bangladesh and India-Pakistan borders.

The BSF has started installation of integrated surveillance technology equipped with CCTV/ PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom)/ bullet cameras, infrared sensor and infrared alarm with command-and-control system. Anti-drone systems are also put in place.

The official said that the use of infrared alarms has increased in the unfenced patches. Approximately 800 km of the 4,069 km India-Bangladesh border is unfenced.