Delhi Okays Exclusive Satellite For Eastern & Western Frontiers

NEW DELHI: Being wary of the unabated intrusion and difficulties in deploying the security forces along country’s eastern and western frontier, the Union Home Ministry is all set to take the help of an exclusive satellite to help it further strengthen its frontiers with Pakistan and Bangladesh.

“The government has approved a task force report in which a satellite is proposed to be launched for exclusive use by MHA,” said a senior government offical. The task force report proposes the use of Satellite for communication in remote areas, GIS & operations planning system and satellite based GPS in navigation by forces during operations.

To execute the project, a short, medium and long term plan has been approved for implementation in five years in coordination with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Ministry of Defence.

In short term, immediate needs of border guarding forces will be met by procurement of high resolution imagery and hiring of bandwidth for communications.

“In mid-term, one satellite is being launched by the ISRO for exclusive use of the MHA,” the official said.

Over the long term, the MHA will develop ground segment and network infrastructure to share satellite resources by user agencies, develop a central archival facility for storing various imagery resources and dissemination of the same to user agencies.

Government has already indentified areas for use of space technology in improving Border Management that includes, Border Security, Communication and Navigation, GIS & Operations Planning System and Border Infrastructure Development.

The Border Security Force (BSF) has been designated as lead agency for implementation of ground segment and network infrastructure, including establishment of archival facility.

India shares land borders with Bangladesh, Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar.

“With the assistance of the department of space, the ministry of home affairs would implement the project,” the official said.

The task force headed by Joint Secretary (Border Management) included members from the BSF, the Department of Space and Border Management division of the Home Ministry, consulted all stakeholders including border guarding forces, the ISRO, National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) and the Ministry of Defence.

According to government statistics, as many as 3213 cases of illegal intrusion have been recorded since 2015 till date from eastern and western frontier.

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