Indo-Tibetan Border Police


The Indo-Tibetan Border Police is India's primary border patrol organization with its border with Tibet. It is one of the five Central Armed Police Forces of India, raised on 24 October 1962, under the CRPF Act, in the wake of the Sino-Indian War of 1962.
In September 1996, the Parliament of India enacted the "Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force Act, 1992" to "provide for the constitution and regulation" of the ITBP "for ensuring the security of the borders of India and for matters connected therewith". The first head of the ITBP, designated Inspector General, was Balbir Singh, a police officer previously belonging to the Intelligence Bureau. The ITBP, which started with 4 battalions, has, since restructuring in 1978, undergone expansion to a force of 60 Battalions with 15 Sectors and 05 Frontiers as of 2018 with a sanctioned strength of 89,432.
The ITBP is trained in the Civil Medical Camp, disaster management, and nuclear, biological and chemical disasters. ITBP personnel have been deployed abroad in UN peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Haiti, Western Sahara, Sudan, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. Two battalions of ITBP are deputed to National Disaster Response Force.

Command Control superstructure

ITBP, for the first two decades since its raising in 1962, until 1983, was headed by Inspector Generals of Police, all drawn from the IPS. In this period, IGs had stable tenures, for instance B Chatterjee, IG, was head of the force from 02-06-1964 to 31-08-1974, and R N Sheopory, as IG, was head from 03-09-1974 to 22-12-1980. In 1983, the Indira Gandhi led Congress Government, upgraded ITBP head to Director General. Since then, there has exponentially expansion of higher ranks, accompanied by volatility in the tenures of the head of ITBP. Instead of one IG as in 1983, ITBP now has 16 DG/IGs, and over 40 DIGs. The average tenure of DGs is about a year plus, and in some cases barely a few weeks, for instance B.B. Nandy, IPS, was DG, for just 28 weeks. Going by the trend of short tenures of DGs, it would appear that the Government is not overly concerned about command control, or in maintaining command continuity in the ITBP. The post of DG was again upgraded by the Manmohan Singh led UPA Government in 2008.
More than a year after the central government sanctioned raising of two commands of ITBP, the commands are now operationalised. ITBP shall have two commands one each at Chandigarh and Guwahati head by a cadre officer of ADG rank. Manoj Rawat, presently IG with ITBP HQ has been entrusted with the responsibility of raising the ITBP's Western Command at Chandigarh.
ItemDGIGsDIGsRemarks
Hqs1713-
Frontier hqs-7--
Sector hqs--15-
Training-112-
Total11540-

ITBP CHIEFS:
Sh Balbir Singh, IG -02/02/1963-02/06/1964
Sh B Chatarjee, IG -02/06/1964-31/08/1974
Sh R N Sheopory, DG -03/09/1974-22/12/1980
Sh K Ramamurti, DG -22/12/1980-31/01/1981
Sh Shiv Raj Bahadur, DG -04/06/1981-31/12/1983
Sh Shiv Swaroop,DG -01/01/1984
Sh M C Mishra,DG -19/03/1984-28/03/1985
Sh O P Bhutani,DG -28/03/1985-28/02/1987
Sh J M Qureshi,DG -28/02/1987-02/03/1988
Sh G S Mander,DG -02/03/1988-08/07/1988
Sh DVIN Rama Krishna,DG -08/07/1988-31/01/1992
Sh R K Wadehra, DG -31/01/1992-31/01/1993
Sh D K Arya, DG -3/02/1993-31/01/1994
Sh S C Mehta, DG -31/01/1994-16/04/1994
Sh R C Jha, DG -16/04/1994-31/03/1995
Sh Jogender Singh, DG -31/01/1995-10/04/1996
Sh R K Sharma, DG -10/04/1996-10/01/1997
Sh B B Nandi, DG -10/01/1997-03/04/1997
Sh Nikhil Kumar, DG -03/04/1997-03/12/1997
Sh Gautam Kaul, DG -01/06/1998-31/03/2001
Sh S C Chaube, DG -31/03/2001-31/12/2002
Sh R C Agarwal, DG -31/12/2002-30/06/2004
Sh K J Singh, DG -01/07/2004-30/04/2005
Sh S K Kain, DG -05/05/2005-31/10/2005
Sh N C Joshi, DG -01/11/2005-31/12/2005
Sh V K Joshi, DG -01/01/2006-02/05/2008
Sh Vikram Srivastava, DG -02/05/2008-31/01/2010
Sh R K Bhatia, DG -01/02/2010-31/08/2011
Sh Ranjit Sinha, DG -01/09/2011-19/12/12
Sh Ajay Chadha, DG -19/12/12-31/08/2013
Sh Subhas Goswami, DG -11/11/2013-31/12/2014
Sh Krishna Chaudhary, DG -31/12/2014-30/06/2017
Sh R K Pachnanda, DG -01/07/2017-31/10/2018
Sh S S Deswal, DG -31/10/2018-Till Date

Roles

ITBP is a multi-dimensional force which primarily has 5 functions:
  1. Vigil on the northern borders, detection and prevention of border violations, and promotion of the sense of security among the local populace.
  2. Check illegal immigration and trans-border smuggling.
  3. Provide security to sensitive installations and threatened VIPs
  4. Restore and preserve order in any area in the event of a disturbance.
  5. To maintain peace.
Presently, battalions of ITBP are deployed on border guard duties from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Diphu La in Arunachal Pradesh, covering 3,488 km of the India-China border. Manned border posts are at altitudes as high as in the western, middle & eastern sector of the border. ITBP is a mountain trained force and most of the officers & men are professionally trained mountaineers and skiers. The force is under an expansion plan in order to provide relief to its troops from constant deployment in high altitude areas under the dynamic and professional leadership of Subhash Goswami, IPS.
ITBP's major training centre is located at Mussoorie, in Uttarakhand. The Training Academy has been established in 1976 and imparts training to Officers of the force. The training programme to Suboridnate Officers of the force are conducted at Central Training College Alwar and Basic Training College, Bhanu. Specialised training programmes in rock craft, explosives handling etc. are also conducted here.Ace mountaineer and Padma Shri awardee, Harbhajan Singh, IG heads this institution. Keeping in view the evolving security scenario of the country, ITBP established a Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School at an altitude of 6,000 feet in the heart of extremely tough Himalayan mountains, at Mahidanda in Uttarkashi district. The CIJW school provides state of the art training to ITBP's men and officers to enable them to take on the 21st century's security challenges in the form of anti-Naxal Operations. Jungle warfare, handling of explosives, rock craft, survival in adverse conditions, unarmed combat, and guerrilla warfare are some of the subjects trained here. On account of demands to realistic Anti naxal training the CIJW School of ITBP was shifted to Belgaum Karnataka
The training regime, formulated under the close supervision of Rajiv Mehta, IPS and executed on the ground by Sanjeev Raina, DIG is extremely demanding both mentally and physically, needing special preparation.
The presence of the force along the Indo China border where it maintains vigil along the extremely difficult high altitude border area. The troops of the force keep a sharp eye on any violation of the border, trans-border smuggling, and affords a sense of security to the remotely located isolated settlements. The altitude where the troops are deployed range up to 18,800 feet and the temperature plummets to minus 30 degrees during winter with snowfall of more than ten feet.
The force is synonymous with adventure and dare-devilry and has undertaken numerous mountaineering expeditions. Its skiers have been national champions, who have competed winter Olympics. Its river rafters have created international history in rafting through the turbulent white waters of the mighty Brahmaputra, the Indus and the Ganges. The Force has created a milestone by becoming the first Central Para Military Force to grab up the Best Marching Contingent Trophy in the Republic Day parades in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2011. It broke new ground in 1998 when it sent the first-ever police tableau of the country to participate in the Republic Day Parade. ITBP is at the forefront of a movement for the preservation of Himalayan environment and ecology. ITBP has taken up in a big way the task of greening the Himalayan regions especially in Inner Himalayas. Being the only human presence in areas close to China border, it has taken on itself the task of maintaining the delicate balance of flora and fauna.
ITBP being deployed in mountains has developed the expertise in rescue & relief operations in mountains, which entail different specialised skills of a very high standard. It is always first in extending rescue & relief in case of natural calamity. ITBP conducts a large number of civic action programmes in the remote border and terrorist affected areas to provide free and expert medical, health and hygiene care to the civilian population in remote villages.
ITBP Academy has been given the status of "Centre of Excellence" by the Government of India and now is on the path of modernisation of its training infrastructure. As of June 2004, the Academy has trained 3,785 GOs, 7,776 SOs and 27,476 Other Ranks from ITBP and CPOs/ State Police Forces.

Training centres

ITBP training centres develop amongst the trainees the qualities of: professional skills, esprit de corps and leadership. They are taught the values of integrity, impartiality and respect for all castes, creeds and religions.
Maintaining the highest tradition of supreme sacrifice in the service of motherland the Himveers are also taught to function effectively while always keeping in mind human rights and the codes of war which always guide their conduct.
The Basic Training Centre at Bhanu, Haryana ITBP Academy at Mussourie, and the Mountaineering & Skiing Institute at Auli run the training programmes and conduct indoor and outdoor training activities, in pursuance of this mission.
The motto of the ITBP, Shaurya, dridata, karm nishtha has always inspired its men in accepting challenges to bring glory to the nation and honour to the force. In the course of active duties, the force has earned a number of Civil and Service honours, and decorations like Padma Shree – 2, Shaurya Chakra – 1, Sena Medal – 1, President's Police Medal for Gallantry – 3, Police Medal for Gallantry – 44, President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service – 63, Police Medal for Meritorious Service – 292 and the Prime Minister's Life Saving Medal – 54.
ITBP has undergone a massive expansion plan to provide much needed relief to its troops who remain deployed in the tough high altitude terrain for most part of their service. 13 units were raised in the year 2006–07, followed by another 7 units the following year.
Personnel of veterinary wing of ITBP are trained in "Yak handling and Management", at ICAR-National Research Institute on Yak. Yaks are used by ITBP for transportation and logistics.
ITBP is building full fledge recreation and Training centre in Belgaum at Halbhavi, Belgaum provides the best climate for recreation and ITBP will relocate the personal and will have large family bases in Belgaum for its soldiers after high altitude stressful.

Education and Stress Counselling Services in ITBP

ITBP is the only Central Armed Police Force in India, which has combatised stress counsellors in its Field units, Formations Including the Ranks - Deputy Commandants ESC, Assistant Commandant-ESC, Inspector-ESC, Sub Inspector-ESC and Head Constable-ESC. These uniformed stress counsellors also play a major role in improving education for ITBP wards and the local children near ITBP Units. There are 21 ITBP Public Schools across the country run by ESC personnel of ITBPolice Force.
ITBP Schools are located at remote areas like Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Leh and Sonipat, Dwarka Delhi.

Non-military activities

The ITBP organize an ice-hockey team which is considered one of the strongest in the country with many of its players also participating in the national team. The team have won the Indian Ice Hockey Championship on at least three occasions, most recently in 2019.

Fatalities