Rajasthan border with Pakistan sealed; armed forces on high alert

Jaipur: A day after India’s Operation Sindoor, the 1,037 km-long border that Rajasthan shares with Pakistan has been sealed, and the security significantly tightened. The Border Security Force (BSF) and Indian Air Force (IAF) are on maximum alert, conducting round-the-clock surveillance and combat patrols amid escalating regional tensions.

All Western Sector airbases, including Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Nal, Phalodi, and Uttarlai, are on high alert. Fighter jets, including Sukhoi Su-30 MKIs armed with advanced weaponry, are patrolling the skies from Sri Ganganagar to the Rann of Kutch.

On the ground, the BSF has intensified patrolling near the zero line. Additional troops have been deployed to sensitive sectors to ensure a swift response to any suspicious movement. Soldiers have been granted the authority to engage immediately, even at the slightest provocation.

Anti-drone systems have been activated and are operating 24/7 to prevent any aerial intrusion from across the border.

Despite the heightened military presence, villages along the Rajasthan border have not yet been evacuated.

However, BSF Rajasthan Frontier Inspector General M.L. Garg has confirmed that emergency evacuation plans are in place. Additional personnel have been withdrawn from barracks and are stationed strategically as part of preparedness protocols. In response to current threats, fighter aircraft have been conducting frequent sorties from major Western Sector bases.

On Wednesday morning, the roar of jets filled the skies, with multiple aircraft launching and landing throughout the day. These operations are part of a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) issued for intensive aerial exercises over a 48-hour period. Air defence missile systems have been activated in major Indian cities.

In the event of an enemy aircraft entering Indian airspace, these systems are primed to intercept and neutralise aerial threats instantly.

The Indian Army is also on full operational alert, with all border formations mobilised and ready. In light of recent Indian airstrikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the Bikaner district administration has taken emergency fuel management measures.

According to an official order issued by District Magistrate and Collector Namrata Vrishni, all petrol pumps in Bikaner are required to reserve 2,000 litres of petrol and 5,000 litres of diesel. This fuel stock will be prioritised for emergency response vehicles and essential services to ensure uninterrupted operations during a crisis.

Further, there has been a significant mobilisation of Pakistani Army personnel in villages adjacent to the Rajasthan border, including regions from Khajuwala to Sri Ganganagar.

The build-up has been reported in several key areas across the border, such as Khara Toba, Sirdakhli, Bijnoth, Zahuriwala, Rahimyar Khan, Sadiqabad, Khanpur, Liaqatpur, Yazman Mandi, Fort Abbas, Mujgarh Fort, Fakirwali, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, KK Tibba, and Lal Saharana National Park.

IANS