INDO-PAK HOSTILITY CALLS FOR ARMY BSF INTEGRATION & REINVIGORATING BSF

June 26, 2026

Recently Dattatreya Hosabale, General Secretary Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), advocated resumption of dialogue with western neighbor Pakistan.

Indo-Pak hostility post Pahalgam assumed new dimension leading to “Operation Sindoor”, short swift three-day conflict. Both countries claimed victory. India’s red line posture post Pahalgam treating every terrorist attack as act of war further compounded knots in the relations between two neighbors.

Hostility is visible on borders, in bordering states, internal security, trade, diplomacy, even marginalizing India’s efforts to portray itself as regional power. Cross-border trade is in limbo rendering large labour segment at Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) unemployed, susceptible to exploitation by cross border handlers.

Hostility conflagrates conflict and dispute resolution is only possible through dialogue. Both nations need to come out of self-imposed dialogue exile, shed competitive political rhetoric and muscular nationalism, adopt prudent approach in the interest of peace and development.

Signaling from both countries of no dialogue approach is not only harming both nations economically, it is also destabilizing regional security. With regimes on both sides more concerned with internal perception management, it is unlikely dialogue resumes in near future. Perennial hostility will persist affecting borders, border population especially youth and overall security situation along borders and internally.

The adverse impact of hostility and nose-dived relations is visible on borders wherein aerial and land violation of territorial sovereignty by western neighbor has become a norm. Starting north from J&K trudging south through Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat, despite integration of obstacle system with human resource and surveillance system, infiltration and smuggling continues.

Pakistan innovates new methods day in and out. Smuggling of drugs through land route breaching fence and exploiting non-feasible gaps continues. Arms smuggling has assumed new dimension and is alarm for internal security especially in Punjab considering approaching assembly elections.

Despite strong and forceful border domination protocols, border violations continue. What is required is close surveillance of non-feasible gaps, permanent forward domination, domination of depth, intelligence umbrella to keep border areas under gaze.

Western neighbor is effectively using drone technology for smuggling of drugs and arms/ammunition in overwhelming frequency and network of drones in near future may cover whole of western border which needs technology counter.

Connected is construction of surveillance cum observation posts all along international border aimed at close quarter reconnaissance and intelligence for conventional war and exploiting gaps in border guarding for smuggling and infiltration. These need close observation and scrutiny to make sure none are within 150 yards from zero line.

The above analysis points to both peacetime and wartime threats which need equal and enhanced focus from Border Security Force.

Peacetime threats comprising smuggling of drugs, arms, ammunition and counterfeit currency, luring youth into drugs and gang wars targeting prominent personalities creating atmosphere of uncertainty, distrust and fear to destroy social cohesion and infiltration to spread militancy need innovative and analytical and not routine border domination response.

Western neighbour has been largely successful in its design to spread use of heroin and Chitta, is clear from the fact that J&K, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana are fighting battle to check the spread of drugs among youth through intense social media and political campaigns to arrest the menace.

There is urgent need to strengthen border surveillance grid integrating human resource, surveillance equipment, cameras with high quality resolution, flood lights and fence to stop cross border smuggling through land and aerial route. This integration must include local population and local administration.

Another important aspect is installation of long-awaited anti-drone systems which are needed all along the front starting from J&K till Gujarat. It seems a grey area in fight against peace time aerial threat.

Border Security Force needs both infrastructure and leadership reinvigoration to think, plan, execute and adept its peacetime training to address peace and war time threats.

War time threat is again two-fold. Conventional war threat and below threshold threat requiring localized response. Border Security Force may be required to fight standalone battles in below threshold conflict scenario.

What is needed that BSF is fully prepared for conventional war scenario? It calls for effective consistent professional integration between Army and BSF. Army BSF integration both at planning and execution level needs revival.

It is required to train and prepare BSF in planning and execution of conventional war operations at company and battalion level.

Leadership cadre and IPS need introspect, ask itself, is force prepared for conventional war operations at company and battalion level. BSF need to strengthen war fighting capabilities to fight both offensive and defensive localized battles.

Command hierarchy at all levels need familiarity with ground and terrain along responsibility operational plans.

Top BSF hierarchy need to introspect and operationally prepare itself and under command to face dynamic border security challenges. Top hierarchy must accord top professional priority to ensure integration with Army both at operational and tactical level. It is only after integration that seamless coordination with Army can be ensured to meet security challenges.

What needs to be done?

• Make training both for border security and conventional war fighting mandatory.
• Restore old practice of company collective training for at least eight weeks.
• Make mine laying in field practical training compulsory.
• Integration with Army is very important.
• Make it mandatory for operational commanders i.e. Additional Director General at Command Headquarters, IGs at frontiers and DIGs at sectors and battalion commanders compulsory part of field exercises and brainstorming sessions with Army.
• In a training year, minimum two service companies must undergo training with Army and participate in exercises with them.

Ensure availability of underground command centers, proper concrete defense inside BOPs and capability to expand horizontally.

There is an urgent need for Border Security Force to carry out an in-depth analysis of its operational protocols for border guarding and war fighting. There must be grey areas which need to be accepted and addressed on priority.

It can only happen when top hierarchy have operational bent of mind familiar with ground and terrain and capable to prepare operational plans after thorough SWOT analysis of enemy and own.