The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is a Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) of India, operating under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). It was established on October 24, 1962, in the aftermath of the Sino-Indian War, to address the glaring weakness in India's border protection and its inability to engage in high-altitude mountain warfare. The ITBP was initially raised under the CRPF Act but was later given its own statutory framework by the Parliament.
The force is now governed by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force Act, 1992 (Act No. 35 of 1992), which provides for the constitution and regulation of this armed force of the Union for ensuring the security of India's borders. Its primary role is to guard the entire 3,488 km long India-China border, stretching from the Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh. The ITBP operates at extremely high altitudes, with many Border Out Posts (BOPs) located between 9,000 ft and 18,800 ft.
The mechanism of the ITBP involves maintaining a vigil on the northern borders, preventing border violations, checking trans-border crimes and illegal immigration, and promoting a sense of security among the local populace. Beyond border security, the ITBP is a key component of India's disaster response mechanism, acting as the 'First Responder' for natural calamities in the Himalayan region. The force is connected to other border guarding forces like the Assam Rifles, which it replaced in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh in 2004, following the "One Border, One Force" principle recommended after the 1999 Kargil War. A recent change includes the application of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force Act, 1992, to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh, vide notification No. S.O. 3912(E), dated October 30, 2019.