New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said abnormal demographic changes in India’s border districts are the result of infiltration and asserted that the Centre will take firm action to address the issue. Speaking at the Border Districts Superintendents of Police Conference 2026 in New Delhi, he unveiled a comprehensive strategy aimed at strengthening border security through technology, infrastructure, intelligence and greater involvement of local communities.
Shah announced the launch of a Demography Mission to study the reasons behind unusual demographic changes in border regions and help formulate targeted policy measures. He stressed that protecting the country’s borders cannot be treated as an isolated responsibility and requires coordinated efforts from security forces, state governments, district administrations, intelligence agencies and citizens.
According to the Home Minister, the government is working towards creating a Smart Border system that will combine advanced technology, improved infrastructure and enhanced intelligence gathering to make border management more proactive and preventive. He expressed confidence that India’s border security architecture would become one of the strongest in the world in the coming years.
Highlighting the challenges faced in border areas, Shah pointed to infiltration, drug trafficking, smuggling, drone activity, organised crime, cybercrime and radicalisation as major threats requiring constant vigilance. He added that the government’s approach also focuses on strengthening the economy and social fabric of border districts alongside improving security.
Reviewing the country’s internal security situation, Shah said India has achieved significant progress in tackling terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and insurgency in the Northeast. He also announced an intensified campaign against international drug syndicates, expressing confidence that the government would significantly weaken cross border narcotics networks over the next three years.
The Home Minister noted that investment in border infrastructure has increased substantially, while the Vibrant Villages Programme is helping improve connectivity, employment opportunities and public welfare in strategically important frontier regions to reduce migration.
He also announced that the entire 1,610 kilometre India Myanmar border will be fenced under a project worth approximately Rs 31,000 crore. The initiative is intended to strengthen surveillance, curb infiltration and prevent cross border criminal activities in one of the country’s most sensitive frontier zones.
