The Border Security Force (BSF) of India annually celebrates the BSF Raising Day on 1 December to mark the establishment of BSF, a primary border-guarding organisation of India that came into existence on 1st December 1965.
- 1st December 2023 marks the observance of the 59th Raising Day of BSF.
BSF, also known as the First Line of Defence of Indian Territories, is a paramilitary force charged with guarding India’s land borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh during peacetime and preventing transnational crime.
History:
i.Till 1965 India’s border with Pakistan was manned by the State Armed Police Battalion.
ii.However, during the India-Pakistan War of 1965, Pakistan attacked Sardar Post, Chhar Bet, and Beria Bet in Kutch on 9 April 1965.
- This attack revealed the inadequacy of the State Armed Police to cope with armed aggression.
iii.Following the attack, the Government of India generated a specialized centrally controlled Border Security Force (BSF), which would be armed and trained to man India’s international boundaries with Pakistan.
iv.As a result of the recommendations of the Committee of Secretaries, the BSF came into existence on 1st December 1965, with K F Rustamji, Indian Police Service (IPS) as the 1st chief and founding father.
About Border Security Force (BSF):
i.BSF is one of the 7 Central Armed Police Forces (CSPFs) of the Union of India under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
ii.It is the largest border-guarding force in the world securing the 6,386.36 km long International Borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, with a strength of nearly 2.65 lakh personnel.
iii.BSF is deployed at the Indo-Pakistan International Border, Indo-Bangladesh International Border, and Line of Control (LoC), along with the Indian Army and in Anti-Naxal Operations.
iv.BSF is the only force in India with a distinctly defined wartime as well as peace-time role.
- Along with the security of India, BSF has also made many records in disaster management and environmental protection.
Note: At present, BSF is holding 192 (including 3 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)) battalions and 7 BSF artillery regiments guarding the International borders.
2023 Events:
i.The BSF celebrated its 59th Foundation Day in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh district on 1 December 2023.
- The Union Minister Amit Shah, Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) attended the event as the chief guest and paid tribute to the BSF personnel, who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
About Border Security Force (BSF):
Director General– Nitin Agarwal
Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi
Motto– “DUTY UNTO DEATH”
