SRINAGAR: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Thursday said that India has been freed from Naxalism and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling it a reflection of the country’s “collective success”.
Addressing the Land Border Districts’ Superintendents of Police Conference–2026 in New Delhi, Shah said the government is now focused on strengthening border security through a comprehensive and technology-driven approach.
The conference was attended by Union Ministers of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Union Home Secretary, Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Directors General of Police of border states and several senior officials.
Shah said the conference had institutionalised a comprehensive approach towards border security and added that the government would also move ahead with a holistic strategy for strengthening coastal security.
“This conference will focus on discussing challenges related to border security, addressing concerns and formulating appropriate policy measures,” he said.
The Home Minister said India’s border security system, based on the concept of a “Smart Border”, would become one of the most advanced systems in the world in the coming years.
He said the Centre, along with border guarding forces, state governments, district administrations and local communities, is building a strong four-layered security grid to protect the country’s borders.
“A secure border, prosperous border region and vigilant society together can make the country secure,” Shah said.
Highlighting the government’s internal security measures, Shah said that after successes against terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, militancy in the North-East and Naxalism, the next major focus would be tackling the drug menace.
“In the next three years, we will inflict serious damage on the narcotics network and achieve victory over it as well,” he said.
Shah said the government is developing a robust mechanism to make India completely infiltration-free. He said earlier “problems were permanent and solutions were temporary,” but the present government was focusing on addressing issues at their roots and creating permanent solutions.
The Home Minister said investment in border infrastructure has increased by 400 percent under the Modi government, adding that a scientific approach has been adopted to strengthen border management.
Referring to the Vibrant Villages Programme, Shah said Prime Minister Modi has described the country’s last village as its “first village”. He said the initiative aims to prevent migration from border areas, create employment opportunities and ensure complete implementation of government welfare schemes.
He said the government has also launched the Demography Mission to study demographic changes, identify unusual factors contributing to population shifts and suggest measures to address them.
Shah said illegal infiltration remains a key reason behind demographic changes in border areas and stressed the need for timely sharing of information from the grassroots level to higher authorities.
The Home Minister said the government is moving from an isolated border outpost model towards an integrated security grid to make border security stronger and more proactive.
He further said the Centre is fencing the 1,610-km India–Myanmar border at a cost of Rs 31,000 crore.
“The objective is to prevent proxy wars, illegal infiltration, radicalisation, narcotics trafficking, smuggling, drone threats, cybercrime, organised crime and demographic changes, while making border regions more secure and livable,” Shah said.
