NEW DELHI: Senior IPS officer Sanjay Singhal, currently Director General of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), will take additional charge as Director General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) following the retirement of incumbent Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor on October 31, 2026.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has approved the arrangement, under which Singhal will head both Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) until a regular appointment is made or further orders are issued, whichever is earlier.
Kapoor, a 1990-batch IPS officer of the Haryana cadre, is due to superannuate on October 31. Singhal, a 1993-batch officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, will continue to lead the SSB while assuming responsibility for the ITBP.
The interim appointment comes at a crucial time for the ITBP, which guards India’s border with China across some of the world’s most challenging high-altitude terrain. The force is responsible for border surveillance, operational preparedness and security along the sensitive Himalayan frontier.
Singhal’s previous experience within the ITBP is expected to be an asset as he takes charge. He served in senior positions in the force between 2008 and 2015, first as Deputy Inspector General and subsequently as Inspector General, gaining experience in its operational and administrative functioning.
The leadership transition also comes amid continuing tensions along the India-China border. On October 22, outgoing Kapoor had talked about face-offs between Indian and Chinese forces at several locations in Arunachal Pradesh, which were still ongoing, offering an official confirmation of the reported confrontations.
Addressing ITBP personnel at an official function in Alwar, Rajasthan, Kapoor praised the force’s Shaurya Commando teams for their performance during such incidents.
“Recently, a situation arose in Arunachal Pradesh where a face-off occurred at several places, which is still ongoing. There, our Shaurya Commando teams have done a tremendous job,” he had said.
The force is also grappling with a personnel shortfall. According to the MHA data, the ITBP has 92,803 personnel against a sanctioned strength of 1,05,136, leaving 12,333 vacancies. The shortfall amounts to approximately 13.2 per cent of its current strength.
Singhal took over as SSB Director General on September 1, 2025, after the retirement of Amrit Mohan Prasad, a 1989-batch Odisha cadre IPS officer. His appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet and he became the force’s 27th chief. His tenure as SSB chief is scheduled to continue until December 31, 2028, or until further orders.
The SSB guards India’s open borders with Nepal and Bhutan, covering approximately 1,751 km along the Nepal frontier and 699 km along the Bhutan border. Its responsibilities include preventing cross-border crime, curbing smuggling and strengthening surveillance in sensitive border regions.