Context

• India’s first ‘smart fence’ pilot project has been launched along the 11 km stretch on the India-Pakistan International Border in Ploura, Jammu and Kashmir.
• The project is envisaged to put an end to infiltration.

About

• The smart border fencing projects built under the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) programme is the first of its kind in the country.
• The smart fencing will include a web of surveillance, communication and data storage devices that would create an invisible electronic barrier on land, water, in air and underground.
• It will enable surveillance during difficult weather conditions and reduce the need for physical patrolling of the borders.
• It will rely on thermal imaging, infra-red and laser-based intruder alarms to stop infiltration.

Significance

• The smart fencing project is expected to be a massive boon for monitoring security situations in border areas. It will virtually become impossible for terrorists to infiltrate into the Indian side of the border. Thus, making our borders more secure.
• With this smart fencing, the number of casualties of soldiers on borders would get minimised and the stress level among them too is expected to reduce to a large extent.
• For India, a total of 2,026 km border is vulnerable. After the current project, similar project in under progress along the India-Bangladesh border.