NEW DELHI: National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Friday pitched for securing the frontiers on the northern and western side by using technology as a force-multiplier and enhancing engagement with the border residents, while stressing the crucial link between safe borders and India’s goal of becoming a $10-trillion economy in the next 10 years.
Delivering the annual Rustomji lecture at the BSF’s 21st Investiture Ceremony, Doval also floated the idea of “jointness” among different central armed police forces (CAPFs), wherein they can interchange roles like border-guarding and internal security etc, given they have similar training, equipment and command structures.“It is not only for saving money but shall bring about greater homogeneity (among CAPFs),” he stated.
Clarifying that he was throwing up the idea of interoperability among the central forces in his capacity as a former police officer and not as NSA, Doval said that it has already been operationalised as regards the defence forces.
“We have a huge (CAPF) force altogether. They have also got the same types of intermingling duties at many places, whether it’s procurement, communications, training, standardisation,” he said. “In defence forces, they are thinking of theatre commands… joint command of the theatre, where one officer from the Air Force is probably controlling Army and Navy units for the domain,” he underlined.
While recalling Modi govt’s emphasis on border security in the past 10 years, he recalled how the PM spends every Diwali at the farthest frontiers, meeting officials of BSF, ITBP and Army units posted there. Also, the PM’s personal interest has ensured that governors of border states and cabinet ministers visit border areas.
Citing how Israel recently managed to thwart 99% of the missile attacks from Iran due to technology, Doval pitched for major technological innovations to make the borders impregnable with round-the-clock and reliable systems. Stating that India must not allow vulnerability of its borders to retard its growth trajectory as an economic power, he said BSF needs to be the best rather than the biggest.
Delivering the annual Rustomji lecture at the BSF’s 21st Investiture Ceremony, Doval also floated the idea of “jointness” among different central armed police forces (CAPFs), wherein they can interchange roles like border-guarding and internal security etc, given they have similar training, equipment and command structures.“It is not only for saving money but shall bring about greater homogeneity (among CAPFs),” he stated.
Clarifying that he was throwing up the idea of interoperability among the central forces in his capacity as a former police officer and not as NSA, Doval said that it has already been operationalised as regards the defence forces.
“We have a huge (CAPF) force altogether. They have also got the same types of intermingling duties at many places, whether it’s procurement, communications, training, standardisation,” he said. “In defence forces, they are thinking of theatre commands… joint command of the theatre, where one officer from the Air Force is probably controlling Army and Navy units for the domain,” he underlined.
While recalling Modi govt’s emphasis on border security in the past 10 years, he recalled how the PM spends every Diwali at the farthest frontiers, meeting officials of BSF, ITBP and Army units posted there. Also, the PM’s personal interest has ensured that governors of border states and cabinet ministers visit border areas.
Citing how Israel recently managed to thwart 99% of the missile attacks from Iran due to technology, Doval pitched for major technological innovations to make the borders impregnable with round-the-clock and reliable systems. Stating that India must not allow vulnerability of its borders to retard its growth trajectory as an economic power, he said BSF needs to be the best rather than the biggest.