India-China border preparedness: The ITBP has raised Shaurya Commandos and expanded drone warfare training as it strengthens combat readiness and infrastructure along the Line of Actual Control. (Images: X)
Alwar, Rajasthan: The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has raised a specialised combat unit called the ‘Shaurya Commandos’, with the force’s chief, Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor, saying the personnel have demonstrated their capabilities during what he described as an ongoing faceoff with Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops at multiple locations along the Arunachal Pradesh border. The new unit forms part of the ITBP’s broader effort to strengthen combat readiness along the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
Kapoor said Shaurya Commandos would be deployed in every border battalion as the force expands specialised training and modernises its operational capabilities.
Addressing personnel at an ITBP base in Alwar ahead of the force’s 65th Raising Day on October 24, Kapoor stressed the need to adapt to changing forms of warfare. He said traditional combat methods alone were no longer sufficient to meet emerging security challenges, identifying China as India’s biggest adversary. The planned deployment of Shaurya Commandos is intended to enhance the force’s ability to respond to demanding operational situations in mountainous border areas.
Technology is emerging as a major component of the ITBP’s modernisation strategy. The force has established drone platoons in all its border-guarding battalions and is training personnel to operate drones and develop related technological capabilities. According to Kapoor, ITBP has received Rs 400 Crore in government funding, with 70% earmarked for strengthening drone warfare capabilities.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has also given in-principle approval to a Rs 4,000-crore modernisation plan. The proposal includes Rs 1,000 crore for drone and anti-drone systems, reflecting the growing emphasis on surveillance technology and counter-drone preparedness.
ITBP has introduced a specialised training programme called the ‘Strike’ course to prepare personnel for combat situations resembling the June 2020 confrontation in the Galwan Valley. Kapoor said the entire force is expected to complete the training by the end of 2027. The Galwan clash in eastern Ladakh resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers. China subsequently acknowledged that four of its soldiers had died in the confrontation. The new training initiative is part of the force’s effort to improve operational preparedness for high-risk encounters along the border.
Alongside combat training and advanced technology, ITBP is strengthening infrastructure at forward positions. Kapoor said underground shelters were being constructed in border areas to reduce personnel’s vulnerability during a potential conflict. The force is also upgrading facilities at high-altitude posts, where extreme weather and difficult terrain create additional challenges for troops.
Measures include insulating barracks, installing solar water heaters and providing generator sets to improve access to electricity at remote locations. Cold-start kits are also being introduced to help vehicles operate in freezing temperatures.
The combination of specialised combat units, drone capabilities, new training programmes and improved forward infrastructure reflects the ITBP’s push to develop into a more capable high-altitude mountain-fighting force. With its personnel deployed across challenging Himalayan terrain, the force is seeking to improve its ability to operate in harsh weather conditions while responding to evolving security threats along the China border.
Kapoor’s remarks underline the emphasis on readiness, technological adaptation and troop welfare as the ITBP prepares to mark its 65th Raising Day on October 24.
