New Delhi

Amit Shah on Friday announced that the Centre will launch a “smart border” project within the next year to strengthen security along India’s borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh and curb infiltration.

Addressing the annual Rustamji Memorial Lecture organised by the Border Security Force in New Delhi, Shah said the initiative aims to make the nearly 6,000-km-long borders “impenetrable”.

The Union minister said the government plans to establish a robust security grid along the two frontiers using advanced technologies, including drones, radars and smart surveillance cameras.

“I want to assure BSF personnel that during the 60th year of the force, we will launch this smart border project and make the Pakistan and Bangladesh borders impenetrable,” Shah said.

The memorial lecture is held in honour of K F Rustamji, who headed the BSF after its formation in 1965.

Shah said the proposed smart border system would significantly enhance monitoring and help prevent illegal infiltration.

He also urged BSF personnel to ensure that what he termed attempts to “artificially change the demography” of the country are defeated.

Referring to states bordering Bangladesh, Shah said the governments of Tripura, West Bengal and Assam support a policy of preventing infiltration across India’s borders.

He added that the Union Home Ministry would soon hold discussions with the chief ministers of these states regarding border security measures.

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The home minister further said that a high-powered demography mission announced earlier by the government would soon be formally unveiled.