Jammu: Terrorism, infiltration and border transgression should be stopped by India’s neighbours to foster better relations, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday.
India has always been a peaceful neighbour willing to maintain good relations with all its neighbours, the minister said in his address to Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel after inaugurating a newly-constructed headquarters of its 47th Battalion in Kagwal area of Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it very clear to China that resolving all outstanding issues including border disputes is the key to improved bilateral ties,” he said.
The home minister said the ITBP was not only guarding the borders but also protecting India’s assets in countries like Afghanistan.
The ITBP is guarding a 3,488-km border with China in one of the most inhospitable and difficult terrains.
“There are issues of road connectivity and telecom connectivity and the home ministry is working to improve these issues,” he added.
He lauded the ITBP’s role in defending the Indian Consulate at Herat in Afghanistan from a terrorist attack last year.
The home minister also cleared the air on possible deployment of the ITBP on the international border between India and Pakistan in Jammu region in addition to the Border Security Force.
“Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is deployed on the LAC (Line of Actual Control) between India and China in the Ladakh region. ITBP Himalaya ki goad ki raksha karti hai (ITBP guards the lap of the Himalayas for the country),” he said.
“Since Kathua is the entry point to reach the lap of the Himalayas (Ladakh region) in the state, where the ITBP guards the LAC, it is necessary to station a battalion of this force at the entry point to reach the Himalayas,” he added.
Rajnath Singh, who is on a three-day visit to the state, will take stock of the situation on the international border in Jammu region and the LAC between India and China in Ladakh.
The home minister landed at the technical area of Jammu airport in a BSF plane around 9 a.m. on Monday. Besides senior officers of the home ministry, Rajnath Singh is accompanied by BSF Director General D.K. Pathak and ITBP Director General Krishna Chaudhary.