IAF seeks services of ITBP canines

In a bid to secure the air force bases after the Pathankot attack, the IAF has sought the services of trained canines from paramilitary ITBP for security duties.

Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) officials said on Thursday that the air headquarters has sought help from the Union home ministry to allow it “procure” a contingent of trained dogs for anti-sabotage and explosive detection duties from one of the paramilitary forces, preferably the ITBP.

Sources said the Indian Air Force (IAF) has informed that it does not have “adequate” number of canines to deploy for such duties.

The request follows a comprehensive security audit of its 950 flying and non-flying bases mandated after the Pathankot attack. The audit also brought to fore chinks in the security of these bases including at Pathankot.

The IAF is understood to be interested in procuring these four-legged soldiers from the inventory of the border guarding force, ITBP. The ITBP has traditionally been credited with training the most versatile breed of Belgian Malinois dogs for infantry patrol and operations role in the country. The ITBP canines are also the most relied by security agencies to conduct anti-sabotage checks before and during the conduct of a VVIP event.

Sources said the IAF is preparing a comprehensive security of its bases and deployment of security dogs will be one of the major steps taken to ensure the security of its sensitive installations.

It is learnt that the IAF has, meanwhile, also set in motion its plans to procure more and more pups for training them in anti-sabotage security duties and deploy them in phases at these bases for vigil and perimeter patrol. Till that time the IAF will procure fully-trained canines from the ITBP and take Labradors and German Shepherd breed of dogs for deployment in the first phase, the sources said.

A meeting of the officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs, ITBP and IAF is expected to take place during which the exact numbers, cost and delivery timelines would be finalised. It may be recalled that the January 2 attack on the Pathankot air base left 7 security personnel dead while four militants were also killed.