In a bid to check the alleged cross-border infiltration into its territory, the Indian government is considering to employ an Israel-type highly secured fencing across the border with Pakistan at the Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab sectors.
The issue of zero infiltration along the border was discussed in several meetings attended by the top [Indian] government functionaries, including Home Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
“In one of these meetings, they discussed if India could adopt an Israel-type border guarding mechanism along the western frontier,” the newspaper quoted an Indian home ministry official as saying.
India has close defence ties with Israel, which reportedly showed its willingness to share the high-tech equipment for border protection.
Israel is hailed to have the best border protection system in the world, and depends more on technology than humans to protect its border.
Singh is said to have greatly impressed by the highly sophisticated Israeli border security system during his 2014 visit to the border outposts in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had reportedly conveyed willingness to share with India its technology for border protection.
The technology includes high-quality long-range day cameras along with night observation systems employing third generation thermal imagers long-range detection radars, electronic touch and motion sensors on the fence as well as underground sensors to detect any tunnelling attempts.
The Israeli border fencing along West Bank, Gaza and Egypt also consists of latticed steel, topped and edged with razor wire, extending at least two metres below ground and in some sections reaching seven metres above the ground.
Ditches and observation posts with cameras and antennae line the route while an electronic pulse runs through the fence, setting off an alarm on contact that allows security guards to locate the exact spot of attempted infiltration.
A sandy tracking path shows the footprints of infiltrators and a military patrol road gives unhindered access to army units.
Following the inspection of the border security equipment, the Indian home minister was also given a detailed briefing by the Israeli Army about the border-guarding mechanism put in place.
He was told that in certain “dark areas” where fencing was not possible Israel had used small unmanned armed vehicles (UAVs) for security coverage.
Last week, Indian media claimed the government was planning to cover the Indo-Pak border in Punjab with laser walls to prevent the cross-border infiltration.