New Delhi, Aug. 28: The Centre today directed the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force brass to remain "very vigilant" along the India-China border to avoid possible face-offs with Chinese troops, within hours of agreeing to "expeditious disengagement" at the Doklam plateau.

Union home minister Rajnath Singh chaired a meeting at his North Block office with top officials of the ITBP, which guards the 3,488km India-China frontier, and asked them to ensure better patrolling.

Senior officials of the Sashastra Seema Bal, the paramilitary force that guards the 699km Bhutan border and the 1,751km Nepal frontier, were also present at the meeting along with security bosses.

"Now, there are nearly 20,000 troops guarding sensitive zones along the China frontier. At today's meeting, it was decided that the number of troops in these areas would be doubled," a security official said. The ITBP has 90,000 personnel.

Last month, the Centre gave the go-ahead for a full-fledged intelligence wing under the Sashastra Seema Bal. "The intelligence network will be deployed on the border to keep an eye on Chinese activity and to improve the security structure," the official said.

A senior home ministry official said that at today's meeting, Rajnath iterated that frequent face-offs and border skirmishes with Chinese troops take place "because of conflicting perceptions of the Line of Actual Control (LAC)".

"The ITBP was asked to intensify patrolling and remain very vigilant and hold regular flag march meetings with Chinese forces to reduce tensions," the official added.

Sources in the security establishment said it was not clear if the India-China deal to pull back soldiers from Doklam was an attempt to reach a permanent solution or just a temporary relief.

"Even if it is temporary, it has helped both the countries to reduce tensions along their border," said an Intelligence Bureau official.

He pointed to the Chinese foreign ministry's statement today that its forces would continue to patrol Doklam to exercise its sovereignty and uphold territorial integrity. Both China and Bhutan claim Doklam as their own.

"There is no final agreement between the two countries on the issue as neither side has given any commitment. The 'expeditious disengagement' is narrowly defined and we have to keep our eyes and ears open on the border and more so after the recent incident along the LAC in Ladakh where Indian and Chinese soldiers kicked, punched and threw stones at each other," the IB official said.

"Better patrolling along the frontier will help us to keep a close tab on Chinese troop movements and thwart any possible incursion," the official added.

Home ministry officials said Rajnath had signalled a thaw over Doklam at an ITBP programme last week.

"I think there will be a solution to the deadlock over the Doklam issue soon and I am sure China will make a positive move on its part," the minister had said.