Arunachal Pradesh Pushes for Border Fencing to Curb Infiltration and Insurgency

ITANAGAR: In a strategic push to up security across Arunachal Pradesh, state Home Minister Mama Natung made a crucial proposal to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to fence the international borders the state shares with Bhutan, China, and Myanmar. This will also address the pressing needs of curtailing infiltration, insurgency, and illegal cross-border activities that have serious security implications in the northeastern region.

Arunachal Pradesh is geopolitically uniquely placed; it shares a 1,680-km border with three countries: 160 km with Bhutan in the west, 1,080 km with China in the north and northeast, and 440 km with Myanmar in the east. These porous borders have been a perennial headache for national security, and the state administration would like to plug these vulnerabilities once and for all with firm action.

Sharing his post on his X handle, Natung wrote: "Called on Hon'ble Union Home Minister GoI @AmitShah Ji at his official residence, New Delhi today and briefed about high vigilance on inter-state check gates & secure fencing over international borders. A proposal of TCL 2.0 package for strengthening State Police has also been submitted to the ministry."

State giving much importance to secure the borders, said Natung, adding that Bangladeshi politics is in turmoil and its fallouts are bound to spill over across the border. The minister informed that "frisking" will be done even at the inter-state check gates, adding that only a few checkgates, especially ILP boxes, will be allowed and every citizen should carry an Aadhaar card, which has already been linked with e-ILP.

Border fencing aside, Natung also unfolded an overarching action plan christened "TCL 2.0" to give a major fillip to the state police force, especially in the troubled Tirap, Changlang, and Longding districts. The TCL area has traditionally been a hotbed of insurgency. The so-called package is to enhance the infrastructure, mobility, and equipment of the state police.

Natung said, "The entire exercise under the TCL 2.0 package aims at consolidation of gains off the first-phase build and add to the resources and infrastructure that are already in place." "There is a need for augmentation of the capabilities of our police to ensure peace and stability in the region," he said.

The central government had given an assurance that it would look into the proponent proposals with seriousness, which would ultimately ensure the positive outcome for meeting the security parameters of Arunachal Pradesh.

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