Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Director General B D Sharma said the force has recently sent to the Union Home Ministry an ambitious proposal to "revamp" its intelligence unit and for sanction of additional funds in this regard.
"Intelligence is our biggest weapon when it comes to securing the open and porous borders with Nepal and Bhutan. These are sensitive borders. We have sent to the government a proposal in this regard as we seek to revamp our snooping infrastructure," he told reporters on the occasion of the forces' 51st Raising day later this week.
While the Nepal border is notorious for illegal crossing overs of terrorists, militants, arms and fake Indian currency, the Bhutan border has had numerous instances of insurgents and militants operating in the jungle terrain there and undertaking attacks on civilians and security forces.
Sharma said the government has accorded the 70,000 personnel-strong force a Rs 658 crore modernisation budget which SSB is utilising in procuring surveillance and other gadgets and weapons.
More From This Section
The snoop wing of the force, designated as the lead agency on these two borders, has an estimated 4,000 people.
The force, the DG said, will also send a proposal to the Home Ministry soon with an intention to acquire non-lethal weapons to be deployed along these two borders, on line similar to what BSF does along the Bangladesh frontier.
The DG also said that the force, along with its counterpart paramilitary in Nepal, has also decided to strengthen mechanisms to curb instances of human trafficking along the 1,751 km Indo-Nepal border.