About us

The Sashastra Seema Bal was originally set up under the name Special Service Bureau (SSB) on 15 March 1963, following the Sino-Indian War of 1962. The primary task of the force was to provide armed support to the foreign intelligence division of Intelligence Bureau, which later became Research and Analysis Wing. The secondary objective was to inculcate feelings of national belonging in the border population and assist them in developing their capabilities for resistance through a continuous process of motivation, training, development, welfare programs and activities.

In 2001, the SSB was placed under the administrative control of Ministry of Home Affairs and assigned the duties of manning the Nepal and Bhutan borders. The SSB was renamed to Sashastra Seema Bal, in accordance with its new role.

After the Kargil War, pursuant to the recommendations of K. Subramanayam Committee’s report on reforming the national security system with the adoption of "one border one force” concept, SSB was declared as a Border Guarding Force and Lead Intelligence Agency (LIA) for Indo-Nepal border (June, 2001) and Indo-Bhutan border (March 2004).

Today, SSB is a Central Armed Force of the Union of India, with 73 BNs guarding the 1751 km long Indo-Nepal and 699 km long Indo-Bhutan border. SSB is also engaged in Counter-Insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and Anti-naxal operations in Jharkhand, Bihar and Chhattisgarh. It is also performing internal security duties i.e. Election duties and law and order duties in different parts of India.