ITBP chief confirms Chinese incursions in Arunachal amid rising frontier tensions 

Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Director General Shatrujeet Kapur has publicly confirmed ongoing standoff situations between Indian and Chinese troops at multiple locations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh. The confrontation includes Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) forces pitching tents roughly 6-7 km inside India’s perceived LAC near the sensitive Asaphila sector.

Addressing troops at an investiture ceremony ahead of the force’s 65th Raising Day on October 24, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Director General Shatrujeet Kapur outlined major operational upgrades aimed at countering China, whom he identified as India’s "biggest adversary."

Kapur revealed that these standoff points have been active since July. Specialised Shaurya Commando platoons of the ITBP were deployed to counter the intrusions and maintain a firm posture against what he characterized as India’s "biggest adversary".

The military friction persisted directly through the mid-September BRICS Summit in New Delhi which was attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping. The escalated standoff also coincided with historical anniversaries of key 1962 Sino-Indian War battles fought across the same rugged terrain.

In response to the developments, the ITBP is aggressively altering its defensive footprint. The ITBP chief said that strike training for the entire force across units will be completed ahead of late 2027, with essential equipment made available across all forward border outposts to handle Galwan-like situations effectively. ITBP and Indian Army troops remain deployed across key flashpoints in high-altitude border areas to maintain security and defend the frontier.

Moreover, the force has initiated high-intensity combat training alongside the construction of reinforced underground shelters and bunkers to protect troops against potential heavy artillery, aerial bombardment, and harsh climatic conditions.

He added that the ITBP is constructing reinforced underground infrastructure "in a big way" along the frontlines to withstand modern warfare contingencies.

The operational disclosures triggered immediate political reaction, with Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh criticizing the Modi administration's handling of border security and trade relations. In a post on X, Ramesh accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his establishment of maintaining a "deafening silence" on active developments along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

He expressed concern over reports indicating the loss of traditional patrolling points, Beijing's unilateral renaming of locations within Arunachal Pradesh, and China's planned construction of a massive 60,000-megawatt mega-dam along the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra River.