India, Sept. 2 -- On Tuesday, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan urged the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) to focus again on its original mission. He called for the force to live among border villages, build goodwill for India, and involve residents in intelligence efforts, while still policing the open borders with Nepal and Bhutan.

At the SSB investiture ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan, where 18 personnel received medals for gallantry and distinguished service, Mohan described the force's job as "unique." He explained that the SSB guards two open borders with friendly neighbours: 1,751 km with Nepal and 699 km with Bhutan. Unlike hostile borders, these cannot be sealed and must be managed through both people-to-people work and border posts.

The SS...