Answer: India’s land borders exceed 15,000 km which is shared with seven countries like China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, including a small segment with Afghanistan (106 km) in northern Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). It has a coastline that is 7,683 km long, and an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that is over two million square km in size.

1. India-China Border: India and China have a long-standing border dispute along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Chinese military frequently trespass into the Indian territory and this has led to multiple military standoffs and clashes along the border, including the Doklam standoff in 2017 and the Galwan Valley clash in 2020.
2. Indo-Pakistan Border: Border dispute and difficult terrain has resulted in poor infrastructure. This has made cross border terrorism and illicit activities like arms and drugs trafficking and fake currency racket by state and non-state actors in Pakistan due to the porous border possible. Failure of intelligence has also led to terrorist attacks like Pulwama attack of 2019 in Jammu and Kashmir.
3. Indo - Bangladesh Border: The major issues faced are illegal migration from Bangladesh due to porous borders. Trans-border crimes like smuggling of cattle and human trafficking takes place along the Indo-Bangladesh border.
4. Indo - Nepal Border: There is border dispute especially along Kalapani and Susta region because of shifting of Himalayan rivers. The Indo-Nepal border is open and it provides easy access to terrorists and insurgents and leads to smuggling of counterfeit currency, drug trafficking, etc due to open borders.
5. Indo-Myanmar Border: Rugged terrain makes overall development of the area difficult. Indo- Myanmar border is porous which helps insurgents in finding safe haven in Myanmar. Drug trafficking is also rampant due to the vicinity of golden triangle area.
6. Indo-Bhutan Border: Movement of insurgents groups like NDFB, ULFA members after carrying out extortions, killings, blasts, into Bhutan due to porous border.
7. Challenges along Coastal and Island region: Use of sea by terrorists to carry out attacks due to poor maritime security. For Eg: Mumbai blast of 1993, 26/11 attack by Pakistan’s state and non-state actors. Another problem is that of Maritime piracy and use of uninhabited islands by terrorists’ groups for smuggling arms, narcotics, etc.

1. Counterterrorism: Effective border controls prevent the infiltration of terrorists and restrict the movement of arms and explosives.
2. Limit Organized Crime: Tight border security curtails illegal activities such as drug and human trafficking, smuggling, and illicit trade.
3. Suppress Cross-border Insurgency: A well-managed border deters insurgents from gaining foothold, resources, or support from external sources.
4. Preserve Sovereignty: Maintaining clear and secure borders upholds national sovereignty and ensures territorial integrity.
5. Regulate Migration: Effective management facilitates legal migration while preventing illegal entries, thus ensuring demographic stability.

1. Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS): Effective implementation of CIBMS is required along all border areas to improve situational awareness at different levels of hierarchy to facilitate prompt and quick response to emerging situations along the India-Pakistan Border (IPB) and India-Bangladesh Border (IBB).
2. Border Electronically Dominated QRT Interception Technique (BOLD-QIT): It will monitor unfenced riverine areas of Brahmaputra and its tributaries, thus reducing problems of illegal migration and smuggling from Bangladesh.
3. Increasing surveillance at border: Day and night surveillance cameras and intrusion detection system, giving feed to security forces control room who send Quick Reaction Teams to thwart any illegal activity.  Surveillance through unmanned aerial vehicles along difficult terrain can be an option.
4. Creating infrastructure along the borders: For the effective management and quick response along the borders, ramping up of projects for the development of border infrastructure such as Border Fence, Border Roads, Border Floodlights, Border Out Posts (BOPs), etc is necessary. For this government is implementing Border Infrastructure and Management (BIM) Scheme which comprises of projects aimed at infrastructure development of India’s international borders,
5. Role of artificial intelligence in border management: AI-based software processes the data collected by these devices to identify potential threats and alert border patrol agents in real-time. Cameras powered by AI can scan a large number of people and can detect any suspicious activity.

Madhukar Gupta Committee has given its recommendations broadly on the issues of threats and border protection, assessment of force level, deployment on the border, infrastructure and technology issues for protection of border and administrative issues. A strong collaborative initiative is required with Ministry of Home Affairs and the Defence ministry as well as involving other defence ministries from the neighbouring states.