Terrorism in J&K shrinking towards zero: Shah

New Delhi, Sep 6: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir was “gradually shrinking and moving towards zero” and that the feeling of separatism had reduced considerably since the abrogation of Article 370.
Addressing a press conference on narcotics control in Panaji, Shah said the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir had changed significantly since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office, particularly after 2019.
“After the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, the feeling of separatism has reduced considerably. The figures of terrorism are gradually shrinking and moving towards zero, and Jammu and Kashmir has progressed on the path of development,” Shah said.
He also said efforts had been made to bridge the “mental distance” that existed between Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the country.
Shah said that when Modi became Prime Minister, the country was facing three major internal security challenges—rising terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Naxalism and unrest involving armed organisations in the Northeast.
Looking back at the period since 2019, he said the situation had changed substantially under the Modi government.
The Home Minister made the remarks while outlining the government’s broader internal security record before turning to its campaign against narcotics.
He said the government had made the fight against drugs a national security priority, arguing that narcotics-related earnings were also being used to finance terrorism.
According to Shah, the government has adopted a coordinated approach to tackling drug networks, involving central agencies, state governments and various departments.
He said a four-tier Narcotics Coordination Centre (NCORD) mechanism was created in 2019, while dedicated Anti-Narcotics Task Forces were proposed for all states and Union Territories.
A national database of narcotics offenders has also been created through the NIDAAN portal, while data from the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) is being used to identify drug hotspots, trafficking methods and seizure patterns.
Shah said investigators were now following both “Bottom-to-Top” and “Top-to-Bottom” approaches to trace drug networks.
Under the first approach, even a small drug seizure is traced back to its source, while large consignments intercepted at borders are investigated to determine their intended distribution network.
He said special emphasis had also been placed on financial investigations, with agencies tracking the money trail associated with narcotics networks.
Technology-based investigations targeting the dark web, encrypted communications, cryptocurrency transactions and other methods used by drug traffickers have also been strengthened, he said.
Shah said the government had seized more than 11.9 million kilograms of drugs valued at around Rs 1.89 lakh crore between 2014 and 2026, compared with 2.6 million kilograms worth around Rs 40,000 crore seized between 2004 and 2014.
He said drug destruction had also increased substantially, from around 3.36 lakh kilograms in 2004-14 to 48.68 lakh kilograms during 2014-26.
The Home Minister announced a three-year roadmap, from July 2026 to July 2029, aimed at achieving the government’s target of a “Drug-free India” in a time-bound manner.
The roadmap will focus on four pillars—intelligence and operation-based enforcement; control of precursor and synthetic drugs; demand reduction and harm reduction; and capacity building and coordination.
Shah said more than 200 action points had been identified under 25 components, with measurable outcomes, fixed timelines and quarterly reviews.
He said the government would also strengthen surveillance at land borders, ports, airports and cargo facilities, while agencies including the CBI, Enforcement Directorate, Financial Intelligence Unit and Interpol would work on extradition and financial investigations.
On rehabilitation, Shah said the government planned to increase the number of de-addiction centres threefold to 1,751 through coordination among the Social Justice, Health and Prison administrations.
He said the government was targeting a drug-free younger generation by 2047 and would use institutions such as the NCC, NSS and My Bharat to prepare lakhs of “Nasha Mukt Bharat Mitras”.
Shah also said the government had intensified its campaign against fugitives who fled India after committing serious crimes.
From 2019 to July 2026, he said, 274 fugitives had been extradited from 36 countries, including those involved in economic offences, terrorism, narcotics and gang-related crimes.
He said 401 Red Corner Notices had been issued during the last three years, including 182 up to July this year, while properties worth approximately ₹17,874 crore belonging to fugitives had been sealed or confiscated since 2019.
Shah said the newly established BHARATPOL system connects more than 14 central agencies and police forces of all states to facilitate international cooperation and extradition of fugitives.
Concluding his remarks on the narcotics campaign, Shah said the government would adopt a “Quadrangular Approach” to prevent drugs from entering India through the routes of the so-called Death Triangle and Death Crescent.
“Just as Naxalism has been eliminated from the country, the problem of drugs will also be eliminated with the same resolve,” he said.