Source: DD News
Context: Prime Minister of India extended greetings to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) on its 64th Raising Day, lauding its courage, discipline, and humanitarian service in guarding India’s Himalayan frontiers.
About Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP):
What it is?
- The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is a specialised Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, primarily tasked with guarding the India-China border and maintaining internal security.
- It is popularly known as the ‘Himveers’ for its service in the icy Himalayan frontiers.
Established in:
- The ITBP was raised on October 24, 1962, following the India-China war, to strengthen border intelligence and security along the Indo-Tibetan frontier.
- Initially formed under the CRPF Act, it gained independent status through the ITBPF Act, 1992, and operational rules framed in 1994.
History and Expansion:
- The force began with four battalions and gradually expanded to meet emerging security needs.
- In 2004, under the Government’s “One Border, One Force” policy, ITBP was assigned the entire 3,488 km-long India-China border, replacing the Assam Rifles in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
Aims and Motto:
- Motto: “Shaurya – Dridhata – Karma Nishtha” (Valour – Determination – Devotion to Duty).
- To ensure border security, maintain vigilance along high-altitude regions, and act as a first line of defence in the Himalayas.
- To conduct mountaineering, rescue, and relief operations, and contribute to internal security and counter-insurgency duties.
Functions:
- Border Guarding: Secures the India-China border from Karakoram Pass (Ladakh) to Jachep La (Arunachal Pradesh), at altitudes ranging between 9,000–18,800 feet.
- Disaster Relief: Provides humanitarian aid and rescue operations during natural disasters such as earthquakes and flash floods.
- Training and Specialisation: Trains personnel in mountaineering, skiing, tactical warfare, and survival in sub-zero conditions.
- Internal Security: Deployed in anti-Naxal operations, elections, and VIP protection duties when required.
- Civic and Cultural Engagement: Conducts medical camps, awareness drives, and promotes civil-military harmony in border villages.
