NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday announced that the Centre would roll out a nationwide “Smart Border” project within a year to strengthen security along India’s frontiers and crack down on illegal infiltration.
Declaring a zero-tolerance policy, the Home Minister said every illegal migrant entering the country would be identified and deported to protect India’s demographic balance.
Addressing Border Security Force (BSF) personnel during the force’s Investiture Ceremony 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan, Shah described illegal migration as a “planned conspiracy” aimed at creating artificial demographic changes in the country.
He asserted that the government was committed to sealing the borders through technology-driven surveillance and coordinated enforcement.
Under the proposed ‘Smart Border framework’, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will establish a robust security grid across India’s nearly 6,000-km international borders.
The project will include the deployment of advanced surveillance systems such as drone radars, high-resolution cameras and other modern monitoring technologies to enhance the capabilities of the BSF.
Shah also directed the BSF to widen its intelligence network beyond border outposts by working closely with state police, district administrations and local revenue officials to identify infiltration routes and curb cross-border cattle smuggling.
He said coordination with the governments of West Bengal, Assam and Tripura would play a key role in implementing the security grid, adding that the Centre would soon convene a meeting with the chief ministers of the three states, which have complete cohesion in their policy framework.
Drawing parallels with the Centre’s campaign against Left-wing extremism, the Home Minister said merely controlling infiltration was not enough and called for efforts to eliminate the problem “from its roots.”
He further announced that a High-Power Demography Mission would soon be launched to support personnel deployed along the borders.
Praising the BSF’s role in safeguarding the country, the Home Minister said the force had become a symbol of national security and resilience since its inception in 1965.
He noted that the BSF, which began with 25 battalions, has now grown into a force of around 2.7 lakh personnel and is regarded as the world’s largest border-guarding force.
Highlighting the challenges faced by the BSF along a few of the country’s toughest frontiers, Shah said the force had consistently defended India’s sovereignty with courage and sacrifice.
The ceremony concluded with the Home Minister honouring BSF personnel for exemplary service and supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.
