India To Buy Advanced Observation Systems To Monitor Line of Actual Control

Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has purchased advanced long-range reconnaissance and observation systems (LORROS) that will be equipped with a thermal imager to strengthen vigilance.

The thermal imager can detect the human at a minimum range of 10 kilometers and vehicles at a minimum distance of 20 kilometers.

"The LORROS must be a rapidly deployable compact surveillance system, modular in design, portable and be tripod and mast mounted," the tender document was quoted as saying by The Tribune Tuesday.

The system can be installed on the ground, on vehicles or on watch towers. The specification indicates the two LORROS will be deployed in the region of temperature up to minus 40 degree Celsius and height of 5,000 meters above mean sea level.

The decision was prompted by a report by India's satellite imagery expert Colonel Vinayak Bhat (retd) who claimed to have observed a large number of radars deployed near Ladakh by China's People's Liberation Army to monitor deep pockets of India.

Meanwhile, Indian authorities including those of the ministry of Home Affairs, north eastern state and the Chief of the Indian Army reviewed the progress of ongoing roads and other infrastructure projects along the eastern border on Monday.

"We have discussed the roads and other infrastructure along the border," Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat said after the review meeting.

Earlier, during bilateral talks on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping agreed more interaction at the border and at different levels to avoid future border disputes. Both the leaders have met following the withdrawal of troops from the stand-off point of Doklam, a tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan after more than 74 days.

"One of the important points made during the meeting was that peace and tranquility in the border areas was a prerequisite for the further development of our relationship," S. Jaishankar, India' foreign secretary said.