Director General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Shatrujeet Kapoor, has said face-offs between Indian and Chinese forces in Arunachal Pradesh are still ongoing, marking the first official confirmation of the reported clashes.
Addressing ITBP personnel, known as Himveers, in Alwar on Thursday, Kapoor said the force’s Shaurya Commando teams had performed exceptionally well during the confrontations.
“Recently, a situation arose in Arunachal Pradesh where a face-off occurred at several places, which is still ongoing. There, our Shaurya Commando teams have done a tremendous job," the ITBP chief said.
The statement comes amid reports of multiple skirmishes in Arunachal Pradesh since July, with locals claiming that confrontations had taken place at several locations. The face-offs reportedly continued even during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to India for the BRICS summit in September.
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh hit out at the government following Kapoor’s remarks, accusing it of remaining silent on the confrontations.
“India has been paying the price for the PM’s infamous clean chit to China on June 19, 2020," Ramesh wrote on X. “While the self-styled Vishwaguru’s calibrated concessions to China continue, the DG, ITBP, has lauded—and rightly so—its performance in recent face-offs with the PLA in Arunachal Pradesh, on which there has been a deafening silence from the PM and his establishment," he added.
ITBP To Set Aside Rs 1,000 Crore For Drone, Anti-Drone Systems
Kapoor, meanwhile, also flagged the growing threat posed by drones, saying the technology had significantly altered conventional warfare and that the role of defence forces was changing as a result.
The ITBP plans to establish a drone unit in every platoon, while stepping up in-house drone production and training drone pilots. Kapoor also said a separate strike corps was expected to come up soon.
He pointed to China’s heavy investment in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and its media capabilities, saying Beijing had made advances in conventional warfare. However, he suggested drones could act as an equaliser in the changing battlefield.
Citing the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war, Kapoor said the damage inflicted by a smaller country like Ukraine on Russia over the past four years showed how warfare was evolving. He also referred to Iran as another example of the changing nature of conflict.
Looking ahead, Kapoor said the ITBP expected higher fund allocation by 2030 and planned to set aside around Rs 1,000 crore specifically for drone and anti-drone systems. Modernisation plans will also focus on mobility and equipment, including the procurement of all-terrain vehicles, autonomous ground vehicles and quick reaction vehicles. The force is also looking at modernising its ammunition.
ITBP Builds Underground Shelters Along LAC
Kapoor said the threat from drones had made it increasingly important to protect personnel and assets through underground infrastructure.
Several ITBP frontier units have already built underground shelters at their border outposts (BOPs) as part of a pilot project, he said. The measures are intended to strengthen the force’s preparedness along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), as it adapts its equipment, infrastructure and operational capabilities to emerging threats.
