Securing borders necessary for India's aim to achieve $5-trn economy: Shah

The Home Minister lauded the IB for ably tackling the challenges of national security, including busting of terror modules, in the last five years and tackling North East insurgency "very effectively"

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday asked security agencies to accord special focus to securing the country's land and maritime borders, which he listed as challenges in the coming years in achieving India's dream of becoming a 5 trillion dollar economy.

Delivering the 32nd Endowment Lecture of the Intelligence Bureau, whom he termed as the "brain" of the national security apparatus, the Home Minister said the government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to completely wipe out terrorism, left-wing extremism and insurgency in the North East in the next five years.

He lauded the IB for ably tackling the challenges of national security, including busting of terror modules, in the last five years and tackling North East insurgency "very effectively" over the years.

Listing out the national security challenges in coming years, especially against the backdrop of the nation's aim of becoming a 5 trillion dollar economy, Shah accorded special focus "on securing our land and maritime borders."

He said encouragement is needed for personnel to identify solutions to these challenges and look for new ways to counter them, and also asked them to change their approach to be more effective.

The Home Minister "saluted the IB personnel, who work tirelessly and anonymously for national security", and underscored their contribution in helping the country emerge stronger, an official release said.

Shah also said the IB has always helped to ensure zero tolerance to terrorism and Naxalism.

In this context, he pointed to the interlinked challenges of human and weapons trafficking, cross-border infiltration, fake Indian currency notes (FICN), hawala transactions, drug trafficking as well as cyber threats.

Emphasising the need for a special initiative to tackle these challenges, he stressed on the need to co-opt professional experts in specific fields like cyber security.

Shah also stressed on the importance of coordination between different security and intelligence agencies and asked the personnel for sharper intelligence analysis, along with a prompt phase-wise and time-bound strategy to address national security challenges.

The Home Minister appreciated and acknowledged the hard work and expertise of IB personnel and emphasised that their work would be "etched in golden letters in the annals of history".