India’s Underfunded Borders Risk Turning Security Into a Mirage

Increased funding is essential for border infrastructure and community development.

Diverse challenges along borders of India with its neighbours need to be addressed by deployment of forces to guard the sanctity of the borders during peace time.

(PTI Photo)

That internal security is inextricably linked to how secure our borders are needs no elaboration. It is widely known fact that enhancement of the strength of Border Security Force (BSF) and construction of obstacle in shape of fence along the borders with Pakistan was one very important factor in controlling militancy in Punjab, fomented openly by Pakistan.

Similarly, the fence obstacle constructed along Bangladesh has helped curb illegal migration and other border crimes.

The tragic massacre of innocent tourists at Pahalgam by militants and riots in Murshidabad, West Bengal, have once again brought into sharp focus the importance of strict border control measures.

The perpetrators of Pahalgam tragedy are also alleged to have infiltrated India through the Line of Control, brutally killing 26 innocent civilians at Pahalgam, and gone back the same way. The riots in Murshidabad are also alleged to be the handiwork of rioters. who took advantage of the porous border to infiltrate and return after causing communal flare up.

Diverse challenges along borders of India with its neighbours need to be addressed by deployment of forces to guard the sanctity of the borders during peace time. Infrastructure is required for the forces so deployed, and also to enhance quality of life of the population residing in border area.

Hostile Borders and Community Neglect

Borders with China and Pakistan are marked with hostility and need extensive militaristic infrastructure for guarding. Even though relations with Bangladesh have been decent, it requires extensive infrastructure for guarding because of aggressive trans-border criminals.

Recent change of regime in Bangladesh has made this porous border extremely sensitive from threat of illegal migration. The open borders with Bhutan and Nepal pose their own set of challenges. Besides this, infrastructure is also necessary to create and upgrade facilities at Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) and Land Customs Stations (LCS), which are the authorised channels for trade and transit for people.

The operational, topographical constraints impacting effective Border management are already in public domain. However, an important aspect which never gets highlighted is the inadequate allotment of resources in shape of funds for creation of infrastructure and empowering of Border Guarding Forces.

Meager budgetary allocation for Border Management leads to loopholes in border security and is indicative of lack of priority accorded to this extremely important function.

Underfunded and Overlooked:

While the lack of funds or otherwise for defence of the country is widely discussed and rightly so, there hardly is any discussion by the strategic community about paucity of funds for the eternal function of securing our borders.

The difficult conditions that the border population lives in and the challenges that the border guarding forces and other stakeholders face in securing and enhancing the quality of lives of border residents in order to integrate them in the mainstream can be addressed only by allocating adequate resources. However, funds allocated for important function of border management through the Budget are inadequate.

The inadequacy of funds allotted for Border Management is evident from the fact that in-spite of 49 percent enhancement in allocation at Rs 5,597 Crores in FY 2025 -2026, (from Rs 3,756 Crores in FY 2024-2025) the Budget allotted translates into a meagre Rs 35 lakhs or so per Km for 15,106.7 km of land border. The allocation further dips down to just about Rs 25 Lakhs per Km if the entire 7516.6 Km of Coastal Border is also considered.

It is apparent that the budget allotted is inadequate for basic objective of border management as stated above.

Limited availability of funds impedes proper planning and execution of any meaningful programs for development of border areas which suffer from acute poverty, lack of avenue for earning properly livelihood besides inadequate infrastructure. Absence of above features and lack of meaningful employment opportunities is the foremost reason for border residents indulging in smuggling and other trans-border crimes.

The Budget Crisis Intensifies

In addition to above fund allocation, some funds are allotted directly to the States under Border Area Development Program (BADP) for development of border blocks. Details of BADP funds are not available.

However, even if BADP funds are to the tune of one thousand crore rupees, these will translate into an addition of just about six lakh rupees per Km to the entire budget. The BADP funds are allotted to the states keeping in consideration the aspects of development, remoteness, terrain etc. But utilisation of these funds is uneven and many States tend to divert these funds for infrastructure in blocks located far from the border.  

Marginal increase of budget of Rs 57,112.84 during FY 2025 -2026, allotted to border guarding forces is barely 2.20 percent increase over previous financial year. The increase is not even enough to offset inflation. A large portion of the budget allotted to BGF will be consumed for payment of Salaries, allowances, provision of clothing, equipment and other essential items authorised to the personnel.

This leaves very little for capital expenditure for improving infrastructure like Border Out Posts (BOPs), repair/replacement of fencing and acquisition of modern technological equipment to enhance vigil on the borders.

Lack of technology is an important reason for Border Guarding efforts remaining man power intensive and thus precluding adequate rest and relief to troop.

This, in turn leads to heavy attrition amongst troops of BGF and adversely impacting the security of border.

That border security is synonymous with national security has to be recognised by the policy planners. Infiltration and crime happens on a daily basis and the BGF have to be always prepared to deal with these contingencies. Effective border management therefore requires substantial investment in infrastructure, human resources, modern technology and development of border communities.

Hostile security environment along our borders and changing regional dynamics pose multifarious challenges in managing our borders. Allocation of adequate resources for border management therefore must be accorded high priority.

(Sanjiv Krishan Sood (Retd) has served as the Additional Director General of the BSF and was also with the SPG. He tweets @sood_2. This is an opinion piece and the views expressed above are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for the same.)