BSF women personnel are pride of nation, say IG; recalls their role in Operation Sindoor

Hoshiarpur (Punjab), Nov 1 (PTI) Lauding the role of women Border Security Force personnel during Operation Sindoor, BSF Inspector General Charu Dhwaj Aggarwal on Saturday said they stood firm under heavy Pakistani shelling and are pride of not just the force but the country.

The IG said that women were first inducted into the BSF's general duty cadre in 2008, and that the government aims to ensure that 15 per cent of personnel in the force are women.

The Inspector General of BSF Subsidiary Training Centre (STC) Kharkan Camp, Hoshiarpur, was speaking to media persons after a passing-out parade of 145 female constables and their attestation ceremony at the Shaheed Satpal Choudhary Parade Ground.

The final parade of these women reflects the growing strength of "nari shakti" in the BSF, Aggarwal said, adding that they have worked with dedication and discipline, and their confidence and capability were evident.

The recruits would soon be deployed on international borders, serving shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts, he said.

The BSF IG recalled the courage of women Border Security Force (BSF) personnel during Operation Sindoor. He said that the women personnel stood firm under heavy Pakistani shelling and refused to withdraw. He called them "the pride of not only the BSF but of the entire nation".

Under Operation Sindoor, the Indian armed forces carried out pre-dawn missile strikes on May 7 on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. The targets included the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba's base in Muridke.

The operation was launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives. Following the Indian action, Pakistan launched an offensive against Indian military targets and carried out shelling in border areas for the next three days, but received a crushing response from the Indian armed forces, which struck its key airbases.

Describing the BSF as the "first line of defence" of the country, Aggarwal said the force, established in 1965, is entrusted with guarding India's borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The BSF also carries out several other critical responsibilities such as anti-militancy, anti-insurgency, internal security and anti-Naxal operations, he said.

The BSF personnel remain deployed round-the-clock, seven days a week, in the country's most demanding terrains -- from sub-zero temperatures in Kashmir to nearly 50 degrees in Rajasthan and in remote areas of the Northeast and the Rann of Kutch -- protecting the nation's sovereignty, he said.

Aggarwal said the force constantly adapts to new challenges posed by smugglers and anti-national elements.

"Smugglers and anti-social elements always look for new methods, such as cross-border tunnels and now drones. But the BSF, with the government's support, is continuously upgrading technology and systems to neutralise these threats," he said.

The recruits, who displayed exceptional discipline and performance in both indoor and outdoor training activities, were honoured by Aggarwal with medals and commendations for their achievements.

The IG congratulated the entire training staff for their efforts in moulding the recruits into disciplined and skilled "prahari".

The event was attended by serving and retired BSF officers and the proud families of the recruits. PTI COR SUN SHS RT