Why in news?

• A satellite will be launched by the ISRO exclusively for the Home Ministry to help it strengthen its frontiers with Pakistan and Bangladesh among others.

Securing Borders:

• The move is part of recommendations made by a task force on the use of space technology in improving border management which have been accepted by Home Minister.
• India shares land borders with Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar.
• This project will strengthen island and border security and facilitate development of infrastructure in border/island areas.
• To execute the project in a time bound manner, a short, medium and long-term plan has been proposed for implementation in five years in close coordination with the ISRO and the Defence Ministry.
• Major recommendations of the report are to build capacity in border guarding forces to use space resources for security, operational planning and border infrastructure development.
• In short term, immediate needs of border guarding forces will be met by procurement of high resolution imagery and the hiring of bandwidth for communications. In mid-term, one satellite is being launched by the ISRO for exclusive use of the MHA.

Ground Network using space technology:

• The MHA will develop ground segment and network infrastructure to share satellite resources by user agencies, develop a central archival facility for storing various imagery resources and dissemination of the same to user agencies.
• Deployment of the CAPF in remote areas will be also coordinated by satellite communications.
• IRNSS-based GPS will provide navigation facilities for operational parties in high altitude, remote and difficult borders and LWE areas.
• The Border Security Force has been designated as lead agency for implementation of ground segment and network infrastructure, including the establishment of the archival facility.
• Island development, border security, communication and navigation, Geographic Information System (GIS) and operations planning system, and border infrastructure development are the areas identified for use of space technology.

A Special Task Force:

• The MHA has created a task force to identify areas for use of space technology in improving border management.
• The task force headed by Joint Secretary (Border Management), having members from the BSF, the Department of Space and BM division of the Home Ministry.