“The government of India has decided that not only will we stop infiltration but we will find each and every infiltrator and send them out of the country”: Amit Shah
NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday said the government will launch a technology-driven “smart border” project by next year to strengthen security along the frontiers with Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Addressing the annual Rustamji Memorial lecture hosted by the Border Security Force, he said the initiative aims to make the nearly 6,000-km borders “impenetrable” through the use of drones, radars and smart surveillance systems.
“The government of India has decided that not only will we stop infiltration but we will find each and every infiltrator and send them out of the country,” Shah said.
He added that the government would not allow any “artificial change in our demography being attempted from the other side”.
“I want to assure BSF troops that we will launch the smart border project within the 60th year of its raising and we will make the Bangladesh and Pakistan borders impenetrable through major technical assistance,” he said.
Describing the borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh as “vulnerable”, Shah said traditional methods were inadequate to guard these stretches, which face threats including infiltration, smuggling of drugs, weapons, fake currency and organised crime.
He said border security should be treated as a “territorial responsibility” involving multiple agencies and state governments.
“It is most important to identify future dangers, and it is our responsibility to stop the artificial demographic change being attempted from the other side (of the border) through infiltration,” he said.
Referring to security operations, Shah said the government had responded firmly to attacks in Uri, Pulwama and Pahalgam.
“We have defeated all three attacks carried out by Pakistan whether it was in Uri (2016), Pulwama (2019), or Pahalgam (2026) ...we have given them a befitting response by striking deep inside Pakistan,” he said.
He said the government had brought changes in security policy since 2014 and aimed to address threats at their root rather than merely control them.
Shah also said the government would soon hold a meeting with chief ministers of border states on the issue of infiltration and security coordination.
He added that a high-powered demography mission announced earlier would be rolled out soon, along with a programme for the welfare of Central Armed Police Forces personnel and an operation targeting narcotics trafficking.
During the event, BSF personnel were honoured with gallantry medals, including those involved in ‘Operation Sindoor’.
