"There has been an exponential increase of madrassas on both sides of Indo-Nepal border in the recent past of which around 1100 are in India while the rest are in Nepal," Kak told reporters in New Delhi. Asked about the reports of Nepal Maoists joining hands with Maoists in India, the SSB chief, whose men are guarding the borders with Nepal and Bhutan, said there was no concrete proof of Maoists from the two countries coming together.

"They may have ideological similarities but we don't have any proof that they are joining hands or launching offensive together in anywhere," he said on the eve of 43rd anniversary of SSB.

Kak said so far Maoists in Nepal have not come into any "conflict" with Indian security agencies, though SSB had apprehended some of its cadres and seized arms and ammunition. On the Bhutan border, the SSB DG said no new camp of United Liberation Force of Asom and National Democratic Front of Bodoland has come up in the Himalaya kingdom ever since a joint operation was launched against them in 2004.

"We have been keeping a close watch there and our troops deployment along Indo-Bhutan border would be completed by 2008," he said.

Admitting that Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan borders are "porus" and till recently activities of infiltration and ex-filtration were common, the Director General of SSB said the deployment of the force has effectively countered it.

"We also ensure that various treaties of Nepal and Bhutan with India on free movement of people and goods are not violated since we have a very strong historical ties and friendship with both the countries," he said.

India shares 1,868 km border with Nepal in five states - Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Nepal - and 699 km with Bhutan in four states - Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

Kak said the government is taking steps for the mordernisation of SSB by raising 20 more battalions, two sectors and by opening a new frontier. "We are recruiting around 10,000 people and will be able to deploy all of them on the ground by 2008," he said.

Asked about any plan of raising an aviation wing of SSB, Kak said though it has no such plan but is requesting the Ministry of Home Affairs seeking "flying hours" in case of emergency like evacuation of casualties.