Borderman: Institute of Border Security Studies
Key Takeaways from the webinars:
Assessing the security landscape of India’s Eastern Border: Analysing regional challenges and India’s strategic relations:
The security situation along India’s eastern border is distinct and dynamic, impacted by historical, geopolitical, and strategic reasons. This area includes a wide range of countries, each with its own set of difficulties and possibilities. Through the perspective of experts, the webinar had looked into the security dynamics of India’s eastern border, assessing regional problems, and investigating India’s strategic connections in the context of ensuring peace and security in the region. India’s shares borders with Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bhutan, and China’s Tibet Autonomous Region in the East. Each of these neighbouring nations has its own set of security issues. The porous border with Bangladesh raises worries about illicit migration, human trafficking, and insurgent group movement. The intricate topography and ethnic relations shared by India’s northeastern states and Myanmar have aided cross-border militancy and criminal operations. Furthermore, China’s territorial claims and military expansion along the eastern Himalayas affect India’s security calculation.
In response to these regional difficulties, India has engaged strategically with its eastern neighbours in order to resolve security concerns and build collaboration. The Look East Policy, which has now developed into the Act East Policy, shows India’s efforts to improve economic, political, and security connections with the region’s countries. Bilateral agreements, joint military exercises, and cooperation counterterrorism measures have all become critical security instruments. Bangladesh, India’s near neighbour, exemplifies fruitful interaction. Both nations have collaborated on topics such as border security and transnational crime. The signing of the Land Boundary Agreement in 2015 had been an important step towards resolving long-standing border issues, increasing mutual confidence, and strengthening security cooperation. Similarly, India’s expanding collaboration with Myanmar seeks to fight insurgency, drug trafficking, and economic development in the northeastern areas through collaborative initiatives. Border conflicts between India and China in the eastern region have caused occasional tensions. Diplomatic engagement and confidence-building measures, such as the Border Defence Cooperation Agreement, show a commitment to border peace and stability. Membership in organisations such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation allows India to engage in communication and cooperation with both China and other Central Asian countries. The Look East/Act East Policy has also cleared the door for stronger commercial linkages and interpersonal encounters. Regional integration and prosperity have been aided by initiatives such as the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, which had intended to strengthen connection with Myanmar’s seaports along with the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement. This economic participation, in conjunction with strategic collaborations, is critical in building a safe environment.
Decoding the India-Pakistan Cross-Border Challenges
Long-running and complex, the India-Pakistan border dispute has influenced South Asian geopolitical dynamics for many years. Conflicts, terrorism, and territorial disputes have scarred the region’s history, and current dangers like drone warfare and cyber terrorism only add to the complexity of the issue. With the assistance and viewpoints of retired professionals who had been on the job and in the field, the webinar had examined the multifaceted nature of the India-Pakistan border dispute, the threat posed by terrorist organisations, the emergence of new technological challenges, and the impact of significant events like the removal of Article 370. The historical, political, and cultural claims over the territory, leading to multiple wars and skirmishes paired with the region’s complex demographics, with a mix of Hindu, Muslim, and Buddhist populations, has further fuelled the dispute and had led to tensions that have precipitated into cross-border terrorism. Terrorist organisations harboured by Pakistan have taken advantage of the instability generated by the border dispute, with groups such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) orchestrating assaults on Indian soil in order to instill fear and discontent. The 2008 Mumbai attacks, masterminded by the LeT, the 2016 Uri assault, and the 2019 Pulwama attack by the JeM, which had seriously dented India’s sense of security, and had resulted in the death of Indian paramilitary troops, emphasising the gravity of the danger. The presence of terrorist organisations complicates the resolution of the border conflict since terrorism and territorial demands become interwoven.
Emerging technologies have added new aspects to the India-Pakistan conflict in recent years. Drone warfare has made it possible for non-state entities to conduct assaults across borders with relative ease. These unmanned aerial vehicles have strategic benefits in observation, reconnaissance, and even targeted attacks. The 2019 drone strike on an Indian Air Force installation in Jammu, for example, demonstrated the changing character of cross-border violence. Drone use has sparked concerns about the governance of such technology and the potential for escalation in an already volatile region. Cyber terrorism is another current concern, in which state and non-state actors use digital platforms to destroy key infrastructure, steal sensitive information, and launch virtual attacks. Because of the modern world’s interconnectedness, cyberspace is an appealing venue for combat. In this setting, both India and Pakistan are vulnerable to cyber assaults that might disrupt their economies, communication networks, and public services. Cyber terrorism affects conflict resolution attempts by blurring the lines between violence and attribution. Furthermore, the repeal of Article 370 in August 2019, which allowed the state of Jammu and Kashmir exceptional autonomy, added to the difficulties. The move by India to repeal this article transformed the political landscape of the area and strained ties between the two nations. Pakistan had condemned the decision, resulting in increasing tensions and irregular cross-border clashes. The revocation also had an influence on the local population’s opinion of India, generating fears about human rights breaches and a possible increase in militancy.
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