Bhubaneswar: Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, security has been tightened at all the key defence installations in Odisha.
A high-level emergency meeting is scheduled to be held on Friday at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur in Balasore district to assess and further strengthen the security arrangements at one of India’s most sensitive defence installations.
The meeting was convened in light of the strategic importance of the missile testing range, where several key defence projects, including ballistic missile tests, are routinely conducted under the supervision of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The meeting, convened by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Eastern Range, Satyajit Naik, is scheduled to be held at 2 pm at the Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE), a premier DRDO laboratory at Chandipur.
The PXE facility has long been central to India’s defence preparedness, particularly in the areas of armament systems and missile support testing.
Senior security officials, including those from the district police and coastal security forces, are expected to attend the meeting. They will present updates on the current security scenario, analyse potential threats, and discuss preparedness strategies to safeguard these high-value installations.
The Balasore Superintendent of Police (SP) has been directed to ensure smooth coordination with DRDO and related agencies, underlining the critical importance of integrated security planning in view of the current threat environment.
This apart, security has also been enhanced substantially at the Army Air Defence College near Gopalpur, the ordnance factory in Balangir, INS Chilka, naval establishment and Indian Rare Earths Limited (IERL) near Chhatrapur, officials said.
The steps come after Union Home Minister Amit Shah held high-level discussion late on Thursday with the heads of India’s border guarding forces, including the Border Security Force (BSF), in light of recent cross-border hostilities. According to sources, Shah reviewed the situation along the international borders following India’s precision strikes on multiple targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Wednesday. In retaliation, Pakistan made an unsuccessful attempt to target Indian military sites on Thursday, which was thwarted by Indian armed forces.
The Directors General of the BSF, ITBP, and SSB briefed the Home Minister on the ground situation and the enhanced security measures being implemented. The BSF is responsible for guarding India’s borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, the ITBP monitors the border with China, and the SSB secures the frontiers with Nepal and Bhutan.
Additionally, Shah spoke with the chief of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to review security arrangements at vital infrastructure points, including airports and metro networks. The CISF, which safeguards most of the country’s airports and other key installations, has reportedly increased its alert level following recent developments.
These coordinated actions at both central and regional levels underscore the government’s proactive approach to national security amid rising geopolitical tensions.
