New Delhi, 28 October 2026: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has placed Sanjay Singhal, Director General of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), in additional charge of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) from 31 October 2026. The arrangement comes after the superannuation of the serving ITBP chief, Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor.
MHA order and interim arrangement
As per the office memorandum issued by the MHA on 27 October 2026, Sanjay Singhal, IPS (UP:1993), will take over the additional responsibility of DG, ITBP “upon superannuation of Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor, IPS (HY:1990) on 31.10.2026 and till the appointment of a regular incumbent or until further orders, whichever is earlier.” He will continue in charge of the SSB while also overseeing the ITBP.
Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor’s tenure
Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor, a 1990-batch IPS officer of the Haryana cadre, became DG, ITBP on 19 January 2026 after Praveen Kumar moved to the Border Security Force as its Director General. His assignment at the ITBP was always tied to his retirement date, which falls on 31 October 2026.
Before joining the ITBP, Kapoor served as Director General of Police, Haryana, from August 2023 until he was sent on leave in October 2025. That development came amid controversy after the suicide of 2001-batch IPS officer Y. Puran Kumar.
Kapoor’s around 10-month tenure coincided with increased attention on the India-China border. On 22 October 2026, while speaking at an ITBP event in Alwar, Rajasthan, he said that face-offs with Chinese PLA troops were continuing at multiple places in Arunachal Pradesh and praised the role of the force’s Shaurya commandos. The remarks led to political reactions and questions about the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Sanjay Singhal’s service record
Sanjay Singhal, a 1993-batch IPS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, has been serving as the 27th Director General of the SSB since 1 September 2025, after Amrit Mohan Prasad retired. His tenure as DG, SSB is scheduled to run until his superannuation on 31 December 2028, unless further orders are issued earlier.
Before taking charge of the SSB, Singhal served as Special Director General in the Border Security Force. He also has prior experience in the ITBP, where he served from 2008 to 2015 as Deputy Inspector General and Inspector General. In Uttar Pradesh, he held posts including Additional Director General (Establishment, Railways and Crime), several Inspector General and Superintendent of Police appointments, and command of Provincial Armed Constabulary units. He has received the President’s Police Medal and the Police Medal for Meritorious Service.
Why the ITBP and SSB matter
The ITBP, raised in 1962, is tasked with guarding India’s approximately 3,488-km border with China along the LAC, mainly in high-altitude Himalayan terrain. The force specialises in mountain warfare and border management. The SSB is responsible for the borders with Nepal and Bhutan and also carries out internal security duties.
The temporary arrangement is intended to keep leadership continuity at the ITBP during a period when border management on the LAC remains operationally important. As of 27 October 2026, no regular appointment to the post of DG, ITBP had been announced.
