An atypical method. To combat illegal immigration, New Delhi is exploring an unexpected avenue to say the least: using reptiles as a natural barrier along its border with Bangladesh. According to Indian authorities, only 1,647 of the 2,216 kilometers of border separating the state of West Bengal from Bangladesh are currently protected by barriers. However, the total border between the two countries extends for more than 4,000 kilometers, often made up of river deltas, swamps or mangroves that are difficult to secure.
In these particularly porous areas, the border guards are now considering a radical solution. “We were asked to study the idea of deploying reptiles such as snakes and crocodiles in the unprotected gaps formed by rivers”Manoj Barnwal, senior officer of the Border Security Force (BSF), told AFP. According to him, this hypothesis was discussed in February during a meeting at the organization’s headquarters.
Many obstacles
In power since 2014, the Hindu nationalist government of Narendra Modi has made the fight against illegal immigration a priority, targeting in particular flows from Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority country. In this context, the idea of a “living rampart” is part of a broader strategy of strengthening controls. But the project raises many questions.
“It’s an innovative idea, but it raises many challenges, particularly in terms of security”recognized Manoj Barnwal. “How to obtain reptiles? What would be their impact on the inhabitants of villages along the border? »he added. Units deployed on the ground were tasked with assessing the feasibility of this approach “as soon as possible”.
Relations between New Delhi and Dhaka have been strained since the fall, in 2024, of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, now in exile in India. The new Bangladeshi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Khalilur Rahman, is due to make his first official visit to India this Wednesday, in a climate marked by these tensions.
