ITBP Chief Confirms Ongoing Face-Offs at Multiple Locations in Arunachal Pradesh

Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Director General Shatrujeet Kapur on Thursday acknowledged for the first time that face-offs had occurred at multiple locations in Arunachal Pradesh and that the situation remained unresolved, more than a month after India and China held talks amid reports of tensions in the Taksing area.

On September 6, Corps Commander-level talks were held at the Wacha-Damai border meeting point on the Indian side to address ongoing issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The Indian Express was the first to report the Corps Commander-level meeting, which followed several rounds of discussions between local commanders on both sides in recent weeks. According to sources, large numbers of Indian troops remain deployed in the area to prevent further escalation.

Face-Offs in Arunachal Pradesh

Although Kapur did not explicitly name China, he praised the ITBP’s newly established Shaurya Commando teams for their role in handling the situation in Arunachal Pradesh.

“In the past few days, a situation arose where face-offs happened at several locations in Arunachal, and it still continues,” Kapur said at the annual felicitation ceremony for ITBP personnel in Alwar, Rajasthan.

“Our newly raised Shaurya commandos are doing great work. Recently, a situation arose in Arunachal Pradesh where face-offs took place and are still ongoing. There, our Shaurya Commando teams played an exemplary role,” he said.

Kapur also recalled the ITBP’s origins as a mountain guerrilla force and noted that the organisation was assigned border-guarding duties along the China frontier in 2004. He said the force needed to remain focused on its core responsibilities.

Earlier, the Congress had demanded clarification from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah over reports that Chinese troops had prevented Indian personnel from patrolling certain areas of Arunachal Pradesh.

“After Galwan, now Arunachal Pradesh? Disturbing reports suggest that China is attempting to push further into areas in Arunachal Pradesh, an inalienable part of our nation. This demands immediate answers from the Modi Government,” the party said in a post on X.

ITBP Plans Major Modernisation Drive

Kapur said the ITBP was undertaking a major modernisation programme to develop a specialised high-altitude combat force distinct from the Indian Army. The plans include upgrading ageing weapons, constructing underground shelters at border outposts and expanding drone and anti-drone capabilities.

“We do not need guerrilla warfare in current days; a specialised high-altitude mountain fighting force is being set up, which will be different from the Army,” he said.

The ITBP has established one Shaurya Commando team in each battalion, with two additional teams also constituted. The force plans to expand these units into full companies and eventually establish a dedicated battalion for high-altitude operations.

“Soon, we will have one full battalion of Shaurya commandos and our operations wing is working on this. This battalion will become our elite battalion and will get a special identity in our force for high-altitude operations,” Kapur said.

Upgrading Weapons and Border Defences

Highlighting the need to modernise its arsenal, Kapur said many ITBP personnel continued to use weapons similar to those issued when they first joined the force.

“We are using the same old weapons; there have been some changes in weaponry, but they are all the same. There is a need for modernisation and we have made a big provision for it in our scheme,” he said.

Kapur also stressed the importance of underground shelters in modern warfare, arguing that troops exposed on the ground were increasingly vulnerable to attacks.

“As per new warfare, anyone standing on the ground can be targeted easily. In such hot war situations, there is a need to build underground shelters on a larger scale,” he said.

As part of a pilot project, all ITBP companies have begun constructing underground structures at their border outposts. Kapur said the facilities were intended to provide permanent defensive positions and greater protection during conflict.

Drone Warfare a Key Priority

Kapur identified drones and counter-drone systems as another major priority, citing recent conflicts to illustrate how relatively smaller military forces could challenge more powerful adversaries through unmanned technology.

He referred to the Russia-Ukraine war and Iran’s use of drones as examples of the growing influence of such systems on modern battlefields.

“We have to move towards drones and anti-drone systems,” he said.

According to Kapur, the ITBP allocated 70% of its Rs 400 crore modernisation funds to drones. Each border-guarding battalion now has a drone platoon, while the force has begun training drone pilots and manufacturing drones in-house.

He added that Rs 1,000 crore had been earmarked for drones under a separate modernisation programme worth between Rs 3,500 crore and Rs 4,000 crore.

The initiatives form part of the ITBP’s broader effort to strengthen its capabilities along the high-altitude India-China border amid continuing tensions in Arunachal Pradesh.