Assam conclave focuses on national security cooperation
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Guwahati: A military-civil fusion capsule focusing on national security through institutional cooperation was held at Rangia and Tamulpur in lower Assam in last two days amid heightened vigilance along international borders in the northeast, officials said on Sunday.
Army officers and CAPF representatives delivered presentations on security dynamics along the India-Bangladesh and India-Bhutan borders, infrastructural priorities in the Siliguri Corridor, and intelligence gathering methods.
The Red Horns Division of the Army organised the day-long Military-Civil Fusion (MCF) Interactive Capsule on Friday at Rangia to strengthen coordination between the armed forces and civil administration.
This conclave highlighted emerging threats arising from regional instability in Bangladesh and Myanmar that could affect the northeast region. Deliberations focused on ongoing challenges of smuggling, infiltration, radicalisation and human trafficking, emphasising the requirement for better coordination in surveillance, information exchange and collective response strategies.
Maj Gen Rohin Bawa, general officer commanding, Red Horns Division of the Army, presided over the event, with Brig Akshay Kapoor, commander invictus brigade, as moderator.
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Over 100 participants, including FR Kharkongor, principal secretary, home (police) & home (political) department, govt of Meghalaya, deputy commissioners, superintendents of police, senior CAPF officers, and Army representatives attended the event.
Maj Gen Bawa concluded by stating that this capsule demonstrated the 'Whole-of-Nation' approach to national security. He stressed the importance of lasting professional relationships between military and civil institutions and highlighted that the next phase of the Military-Civil Fusion initiative would take place in Umroi with broader participation.
"The capsule covered five critical themes such as border management challenges, socio-cultural dynamics, dual-use infrastructure development, internal security and intelligence sharing, and disaster response," a media said release on Sunday. Civil and police officials contributed during interactive sessions, emphasising institutionalised mechanisms for intelligence sharing, heightened vigilance in border areas like Dawki in Meghalaya bordering Bangladesh, and coordinated infrastructure planning through initiatives like PM GatiShakti.
"This significant initiative brought together key stakeholders from district administrations of lower Assam and Meghalaya, Central Armed Police Forces (BSF, CRPF, SSB), and Indian Army formations. The conclave aimed to strengthen inter-agency coordination, facilitate the exchange of strategic and operational perspectives, and align civil-military efforts for improved border management, internal security, and regional stability," organisers said in a media release on Sunday.
The programme identified several priorities: regular joint training sessions, structured district-level coordination meetings, development of secure digital platforms for real-time information exchange, and rotational conduct of such conclaves to broaden participation.
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