Operation Sudarshan: launched by BSF to fortify border with Pakistan

Border Security Force (BSF) has launched a massive exercise, code named as Sudarshan, to fortify Anti-Infiltration Grid along Pakistan border in Punjab and Jammu. The operation was launched on 1 July and is expected to be finished within a fortnight.

Operation Sudarshan

Name: The exercise has been named Sudarshan drawing from Sudarshan Chakra (or mythological cutting wheel) of Lord Krishna.

Coverage Area: It will cover entire over 1,000-km length of India-Pakistan International Border out of which Jammu shares about 485-km of border with Pakistan and about 553-km of border front is in Punjab. The international border then further runs down towards Rajasthan and Gujarat on India’s western flank.

Why BSF?

As it is the primary force guarding this frontier as First Line of Defence. The exercise will see entire BSF’s senior field brass, thousands of troops and machinery being deployed in these forward areas.

Boosting Defence:

Huge assortments of heavy machinery, communication interceptors and mobile bulletproof bunkers have been mobilized to the borders as part of exercise.

Frontier and Battalion commanders from Commandant rank to Inspector General (IG), their second-in-command as well as commanders of company (unit) of nearly 40 BSF battalions are camping in forward areas of two states (Jammu and Punjab) so as to finish operation within 15 days and be at their bases by July 15. This is because after 15 July monsoon will unleash heavy rains and cut easy access to these locations.

To strengthen vigil along sensitive and infiltration-prone border, the Commanders of force have been asked to-

• Prepare their watchtowers and sentry posts better
• Multiple patrols
• Strengthen artillery positions
• Replenish arms and ammunition dumps
• Check and plug border fence breaches
• Make all operational and logistical arrangements
• Detect underground and cross-border tunnels

About BSF

It was formed on 1 December 1965 in the wake of India-Pakistan 1965 War, for ensuring security of India’s borders and for matters connected there with.

Function: It is the country’s primary border defence organisation. It is responsible for guarding India’s land border during peacetime as well as preventing transnational crime.

It is a Government Agency under administrative control of Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). It is one of the 7 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) of India and currently stands as world’s largest border guarding force.

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2019