India responded firmly whenever challenged: Amit Shah

New Delhi, May 22: Reaffirming India’s zero tolerance policy towards terrorism, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said that if the need arises armed forces will act even inside Pakistan’s own territory.
Addressing the Rustamji Memorial Lecture organised in honour of Border Security Force (BSF) founding director K F Rustamji, Shah, referred to cross-border terrorism and infiltration and said, “India has responded firmly whenever challenged. We replied to Pakistan all three times and, if required, we will act even inside their territory.”
He said India will soon implement a complete “smart border” system along its frontiers with Pakistan and Bangladesh to strengthen surveillance and curb infiltration, drone activity and smuggling through technology-driven monitoring mechanisms.
He said the government was rapidly expanding modern border infrastructure equipped with high-tech cameras, radars, sensors and real-time surveillance platforms.
The Union Home Minister said the Centre plans to roll out large-scale smart fencing and Integrated Border Management Systems along the two international borders within this year.
“The entire border management system is being upgraded with the help of technology. Advanced surveillance tools and real-time monitoring systems will strengthen the country’s border security,” Shah said.
The Union Home Minister said the new system will help security agencies detect infiltration attempts, drone movement, cattle smuggling, narcotics trafficking and other suspicious activities instantly.
He said land allocation for the smart fencing projects was progressing quickly and added that the West Bengal government had provided the required land for the initiative.
Shah said security personnel would receive real-time alerts under the proposed mechanism, allowing faster response and improved coordination on border-related threats.
Speaking on Left Wing Extremism, Shah said India was moving rapidly towards becoming free from Naxal violence, asserting that the government’s strategy had produced decisive results on the ground.
“A problem that persisted for decades is nearing its end. Merely controlling a problem is not enough; eliminating it from the root is the real solution,” he said.
The Home Minister also said the BSF would be assigned greater responsibilities in the coming years, particularly in coordination with local administrations to check illegal cross-border activities.
He said coordination mechanisms would be strengthened from patwari-level offices to district administrations, especially along the India-Bangladesh border.
According to Shah, the BSF’s role would not remain limited to stopping or pushing back infiltrators, but would also focus on preventing illegal entry attempts through stronger intelligence and administrative coordination.
He added that the Centre and border states were working together to strengthen border security infrastructure and ensure smooth implementation of fencing and surveillance projects. (KNO)