New Delhi (Sputnik) — India has decided to revive its more than five decades old intelligence and combat unit in order to counter Chinese maneuvers along the border. Sources told Sputnik that the number of especially trained personnel for intelligence gathering and combat activities will be in thousands. The action was initiated on the direction of India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval following increased China activity in India’s extended neighbourhood.
The year was 1962. Month November. IndoChina war was still underway. A need was felt, an idea that is SSB was conceived. 2/n #HistoryofSSB pic.twitter.com/awjrxmWIIH
— Sashastra Seema Bal (@DGSSB) December 19, 2016
The Sashastra Seema Bal, troops guarding borders along Nepal and Bhutan, had raised concerns before the government about China's project development and other activities across border. “The border (with Nepal) is very sensitive and the influence of elements of various types in these areas has mushroomed…we have proposed to have our full-fledged intelligence wing in the force,” Archana Ramasundaram, Director General, Sashastra Seema Bal said.
Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh at the 53rd raising day celebrations of SSB. pic.twitter.com/WF7T6t3UL2
— Kuldeep Dhatwalia (@PIBHomeAffairs) December 19, 2016
The raising of combat intelligence services will be based on 54 years old Special Service Bureau (SSB) which worked on the principle of “recruit locally, train locally and deploy locally.” The service will have a larger objective than its predecessor and it is most likely that the forces belonging to this service would be deployed inside the neighboring countries in question.
