The Union government has significantly intensified surveillance along both the land and maritime frontiers shared with the neighbouring Bangladesh in the backdrop of the neighbouring country’s volatile political situation.
In a strategic move aimed at bolstering national security, the Border Security Force (BSF) has decided to augment its presence in the Bay of Bengal’s Sundarbans by establishing additional border outposts—particularly floating ones—across the intricate network of waterways.
Sources indicate that this decision comes as part of a comprehensive border security enhancement strategy devised in response to increasing concerns over infiltration and militant activities.
Intelligence inputs suggest that the volatile geopolitical shift in Bangladesh has led to the resurgence of several anti-India elements, thereby escalating the risk of cross-border incursions. Consequently, the jungle-shrouded, river-laced Sundarbans have emerged as a critical area of focus for Indian security forces.
The central government has already held high-level consultations with the state government to finalise the locations of these outposts. Official reports confirm that the state has given its nod to the center’s proposal and has further extended cooperation by allocating land in various border regions to facilitate BSF infrastructure development.
In the initial phase, the BSF aims to establish seven new floating border outposts along the India-Bangladesh water border encompassing the Sundarbans. These outposts are expected to significantly narrow the gaps between existing installations, thereby ensuring tighter, real-time surveillance across the sensitive region.
The Sundarbans, which stretch over approximately 157 kilometers of coastal frontier, are riddled with dense forests and tidal waterways—making them an ideal but challenging terrain for monitoring illegal cross-border activities. Although 14 coastal police stations operate across five districts of the state, the BSF retains primary responsibility for safeguarding the watery border areas adjoining Bangladesh. Their duties include constant monitoring of foreign vessels, intercepting unauthorized entries and neutralising threats of infiltration.
Intelligence agencies have underscored that militant groups may find the waterways a more viable infiltration route than traditional land paths, particularly due to the region’s natural camouflage and limited accessibility. This vulnerability has led to an increased sense of urgency within security circles, reminiscent of the post-2008 Mumbai attacks era, when maritime defense was thrust into national focus.
The proposed expansion of BSF’s presence in the Sundarbans is a direct response to this heightened threat perception and is part of a broader counter-infiltration doctrine.
“It underscores India's unwavering commitment to protecting its borders through robust infrastructure, advanced surveillance and proactive cooperation between central and state security apparatuses,” said a BSF official.
As regional dynamics continue to shift, the fortified vigilance across the Sundarbans is poised to play a pivotal role in maintaining national integrity and thwarting any subversive attempts to destabilise the eastern frontier.
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