No one can challenge borders of Modi's India: Amit Shah

INDIAN home minister Amit Shah on Saturday (17) said no one would dare to challenge India’s borders and its sovereignty after prime minister Narendra Modi crafted a separate defence policy for the country.

“There was no separate defence policy before prime minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014. Either it was the foreign policy that dictated the defence policy or the foreign policy overlapped with the defence policy. Today, due to this initiative no one can challenge Indian borders and sovereignty,” he said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, considered to be the second-most powerful leader in Indian politics now after Modi, was speaking at the Border Security Force’s (BSF) investiture ceremony in New Delhi. He felicitated on the occasion BSF personnel for their service to the nation and gave the Rustamji Memorial Lecture.

Two ministers of state Ajay Kumar Mishra and Nisith Pramanik, home secretary Ajay Bhalla and two intelligence chiefs were also present at the ceremony. The BSF’s director general Rakesh Asthana delivered the welcome address.

“I salute those who have made the supreme sacrifice. These brave hearts and warriors cannot be forgotten. India has a place of pride on the world map due to the BSF and our paramilitary forces who are protecting the borders,” the home minister said.

India coming up with drone attack countermeasures: Shah

In the context of the recent drone attack at an airbase in Jammu, Shah said India’s defence research body called the Defence Research and Development Organisation  and other agencies are coming up with countermeasures.

“We have to prepare for use of artificial intelligence and robotics by Pakistan-based terror groups. This goes beyond the use of drones for attacks from across the borders,” Shah said.

He also tweeted about the event before attending it, saying, “Looking forward to felicitating our brave BSF personnel for their outstanding service to the nation, tomorrow, at the 18th Investiture Ceremony of this valiant force. Will also deliver the Rustamji Memorial Lecture.”

The BSF has been observing its investiture ceremony since 2003 in the memory of KF Rustamji, the force’s first director general, who died the same year. “...the legendary and one of modern India’s most celebrated Police Officer popularly known as the Founding Father of BSF... The extraordinary vision & steadfast leadership of Shri K F Rustamji shaped BSF early in its existence. His charismatic personality later made BSF into a formidable fighting force. He has a special place in the hearts of all Seema Praharis protecting the borders of our nation,” the BSF said in a tweet.

The BSF was raised on December 1, 1965, with 25 battalions but now has more than 265,000 personnel with 192 battalions, including three disaster-management battalions.