Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the Centre is moving ahead with an ambitious plan to strengthen India’s border security infrastructure, with a major focus on completing fencing along the West Bengal border to curb infiltration and enhance national security.
Speaking after inaugurating two Border Security Force (BSF) border outposts in Bhuj, Gujarat, Shah said the incomplete fencing along the West Bengal border had remained one of the biggest gaps in India’s security grid for years. He claimed that earlier attempts to acquire land for fencing had faced hurdles despite suitable terrain in several stretches.
The Home Minister said the situation has now changed after the formation of a new government in West Bengal. According to Shah, the state government recently took an “in-principle decision” to allocate land for border fencing and portions of land have already been handed over for the project.
“Once the fencing work is completed, infiltration can be effectively controlled,” Shah said while addressing BSF personnel and senior officials in Bhuj.
He added that technological fencing is also being rapidly installed in difficult terrains such as forests and riverine channels where conventional fencing is challenging. Shah said the government is working towards building a fully secured border through a combination of manpower, surveillance technology and modern infrastructure.
The Home Minister announced that the BSF is entering a new phase in its 60th year of service, with the government planning to replace the traditional concept of border guarding with a broader “territorial security” model. Under the proposed system, local residents, civil administration, police forces and security agencies would jointly contribute to border protection alongside the BSF.
Shah said the Centre is investing thousands of crores of rupees under the Smart Border Security Project to establish a “quadrangular security grid” equipped with drones, radars, advanced watchtowers and modern surveillance systems. He asserted that once the network becomes operational, infiltrators and hostile elements would find it extremely difficult to breach India’s borders.
Highlighting the role of the BSF, Shah praised the force for guarding some of the country’s most difficult frontiers over the past six decades. He said BSF personnel operate under extreme conditions ranging from the freezing temperatures of Kashmir to the scorching deserts of Rajasthan and the marshlands of Sir Creek and Harami Nala in Gujarat.
“BSF personnel stand guard in temperatures from minus 45 degrees to plus 45 degrees while protecting the nation,” he said.
The Home Minister noted that more than 2,000 BSF personnel have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty since the force was raised in 1965. He described the BSF as the nation’s “first line of defence” and said the country sleeps peacefully because of the dedication and courage of its jawans.
Shah also referred to efforts made to improve security preparedness in the Sir Creek and Harami Nala regions of Gujarat. He said the government had initiated large-scale work on fencing, watchtowers, roads, accommodation, drinking water facilities and medical infrastructure to create what he called a “leak-proof” security arrangement.
He said the Centre aims to fully secure the sensitive western border region within the next two years.
The Union Home Minister further announced that the government is considering assigning additional responsibilities to the BSF as part of its evolving border management strategy.
Amit Shah also spoke about a public outreach initiative launched in Banaskantha, Gujarat, to help citizens understand the difficult conditions faced by BSF personnel. According to him, more than 2.5 lakh people have visited the centre in the past month. He said feedback from visitors, especially women expressing pride in seeing their children join the BSF in the future, reflected the growing respect for the force among citizens.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Gujarat Minister Harsh Sanghavi, Union Home Secretary, senior Intelligence Bureau officials and BSF Director General were present during the inauguration ceremony in Bhuj.
