Analyze internal security threats and transborder crimes along Myanmar, Bangladesh and Pakistan borders including Line of Control (LoC). Also discuss the role played by various security forces in this regard.
Approach · directive: “analyse / discuss”
What it asks · Analyse the threats and crimes border by border (Pakistan and the LoC, Bangladesh, Myanmar), then explain which forces guard which frontier and how they cooperate.
The question has 2 parts — answer each
- Analyse the internal security threats and transborder crimes along the Pakistan border and the LoC, the Bangladesh border and the Myanmar border
- Discuss the role played by the various security forces on these borders
Open with · India's western, eastern and north-eastern borders pose different threats: cross-border terrorism and drugs in the west, illegal migration and smuggling in the east, and insurgent sanctuaries and narcotics in the north-east.
Cover
- Pakistan border and LoC: infiltration, ceasefire violations, cross-border terrorism, arms and narcotics dropped by drones or smuggled across, tunnels and fake currency.
- Bangladesh border: illegal migration, cattle and goods smuggling, human trafficking, fake currency and criminal networks exploiting unfenced riverine stretches.
- Myanmar border: insurgent camps and cross-border movement of militants, arms and drug trafficking from the Golden Triangle, and misuse of the free movement arrangement.
- Linkages: smuggling, hawala and narcotics finance terror and insurgent groups, and criminal networks give them logistics across borders.
- Forces: Army on the LoC; BSF on the international borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh; Assam Rifles on the Myanmar border.
- Support: state police, the Intelligence Bureau, NIA, NCB and customs share intelligence and investigate; force-level talks with neighbours help coordination.
- Measures and gaps: fencing, floodlighting, CIBMS technology, integrated check posts and border roads help, but unfenced terrain, manpower shortfalls, drones and overlapping roles remain.
Close with · Each border needs its own mix of fencing, technology, intelligence and local goodwill, with clear command and coordination among forces.
Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2020, GS Paper III — paper ↗. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify) — UPSC publishes no model answers. ·
Model answer · 278 words (UPSC limit 250) · Minimalist IAS
India's western, eastern and north-eastern land borders pose different threats: cross-border terrorism and narcotics in the west, illegal migration and smuggling in the east, and insurgent sanctuaries and drugs in the north-east. Each needs a different guard.
Pakistan border and the LoC
- Infiltration of terrorists across the LoC under cover of ceasefire violations; arms, narcotics and fake currency smuggled across the international border, including by drones and tunnels.
- Narcotics money and hawala feed terror networks and the criminals who move their logistics.
Bangladesh border
- Illegal migration, cattle and goods smuggling, human trafficking and fake currency, exploited by criminal networks along unfenced and riverine stretches.
Myanmar border
- Insurgent camps and cross-border movement of militants, arms trafficking, and drugs from the Golden Triangle, with misuse of the free movement arrangement for locals.
Common threads
- Smuggling, hawala and narcotics finance terror and insurgent groups, and criminal networks lend them logistics; porous terrain and demographic change add to the strain.
Role of the security forces
- Army: holds the LoC, counters infiltration and works with the police in the hinterland.
- BSF: guards the international borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, checks smuggling and illegal crossing, and runs border outposts, fencing and floodlighting.
- Assam Rifles: guards the Myanmar border and fights insurgency in the north-east.
- Support: state police, the Intelligence Bureau, NIA, NCB and customs share intelligence and investigate; force-level talks with neighbours help coordination.
- Measures and gaps: fencing, floodlighting, the CIBMS technology pilot, integrated check posts and border roads help, but unfenced terrain, manpower shortfalls, drones and overlapping roles remain.
Each border needs its own mix of fencing, technology, intelligence and local goodwill, with clear command and coordination among the forces that guard it.
Written by Minimalist IAS from facts checked at source (how we verify) — a little fuller than exam length, so every part of the question is covered; in the hall, keep the structure and trim the detail. UPSC publishes no model answers: compare your structure and coverage with this, then write your own.