Amid India-Pakistan Tensions, Govt Expedites Border Projects To Boost National Security, Curb Infiltration
Last Updated:
The union finance and home affairs ministries are working together to fast-track major development projects along vulnerable border areas
In reaction to increased tensions with Pakistan, the Indian government has accelerated plans to implement key infrastructure projects along the border between the two nations. The move, intended to boost national security and discourage infiltration, follows recent high-level deliberations.
The union finance and home affairs ministries are working together to expedite major development projects along vulnerable border areas. Border fencing upgrades, strategic road development, and sophisticated surveillance infrastructure installations worth Rs 1,500 crore are planned.
Top officials say more than 500 kilometres of current border fencing will be upgraded with new, high-quality, modular, and multi-layered materials to counter infiltration threats. The much-needed upgrade comes in the wake of recent terrorist attacks on civilians and security forces in Rajouri and Poonch.
The High-Level Empowered Committee (HLEC) approved works in high-risk sectors of Samba, Indereshwar Nagar, and Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab's Ferozepur and Abohar belts, including road connectivity of border outposts (BOPs) to the boundary fence. These projects will help forces reach different areas along the India-Pakistan border.
Major upgrades include bulletproof sentry posts for the safety of BSF personnel after reports of unprovoked firing by Pakistan Rangers.
A finished reconnaissance and hydrological survey guides infrastructure development along border rivers. In Rajasthan, more than Rs 500 crore will go towards specialised layered fencing and wall construction, high-powered LED lighting for improved night vigilance, and armoured underground cabling to deal with specific desert landscape issues.
To alleviate the ongoing water supply woes of border troops, Rs 160 crore has been approved for better storage and delivery infrastructure. This will replace the present expensive and unsustainable tanker system used on unpaved tracks.
These projects mark a strategic shift in India's border defence posture, meeting the rise of cross-border aggression and new forms of infiltration tactics. The government, with a priority on national security, is following through with the speedy implementation of these crucial border-guarding measures.
First Published:
May 17, 2025, 07:30 IST
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
10 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Pawar says India lacks strong ties with neighbours
Pune: Sharad Pawar, chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), on Tuesday expressed concern over what he termed as the Union government's failure to maintain constructive relations with neighbouring countries. Addressing party workers in Pune during the NCP (SP)'s 26th Foundation Day, Pawar said the current foreign policy has not fostered an environment for effective regional diplomacy. 'During Jawaharlal Nehru's leadership, India had cordial ties with its neighbours,' Pawar noted, contrasting it with what he called a sharp decline in relations with countries such as Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. 'The map of India tells a story — to the north are Pakistan and China, to the east is Bangladesh, and to the south, Sri Lanka. How many of these countries can we claim to have positive and consistent engagement with today?' he asked. Referring to the aftermath of a recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Pawar said his party had refrained from politicising the issue, instead choosing to stand behind the government on matters of national security. 'When civilians were killed in the Pahalgam incident, we did not criticise the Centre. We said we would support any firm response,' he said. Pawar said that India's diplomatic position, once respected in the neighbourhood, has weakened. He pointed out that while Bangladesh owes its creation to India's efforts, it now seems distant. 'Sri Lanka is increasingly leaning towards China, raising doubts about its strategic alignment with us,' he said. He concluded by saying that the current situation points to a failure of leadership in nurturing bilateral ties. 'India today cannot claim to have a meaningful dialogue with any of its immediate neighbours. This will come at a cost,' he warned. Pawar also emphasised that his party would not use these issues for political mileage but, along with the Congress and Left parties, would continue to work towards the country's overall progress. Supriya Sule, the party's working president, shared her experience from a recent delegation visit to Egypt, Qatar, Ethiopia, and South Africa. She said the leaders there spoke warmly of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Indira Gandhi. 'Even as they acknowledge Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, the legacy of past Indian leaders remains strong in their memory,' Sule said.
Time of India
14 minutes ago
- Time of India
A riveting, action-packed year awaits Modi 3.0 on the diplomatic front
The first year of Modi 3.0 will be remembered most for Operation Sindoor, thrusting Pakistan back to the centrestage of Indian foreign policy. By striking terrorist infrastructure deep inside Pakistan, India not only imposed unprecedented costs upon Islamabad for its support to cross-border terrorism but also raised the stakes for the international community's indulgence of Pakistan's duplicity in addressing a core Indian concern. The year also saw milestones being delivered like the India-UK FTA and the India-EU end-of-2025 deadline set by both sides for a similar agreement that the EU has described as the largest deal of its kind anywhere in the world. PM Modi's visit to the US within a month of President Trump's return to the White House, along with the launch of negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement, was also one of the high points. There were other foreign policy pluses, none perhaps more significant than the breakthrough with China in the form of the successful settlement of the five-year-old border standoff. The thaw in the relationship after the Modi-Xi meeting in Oct in Russia saw India resuming bilateral visits to Beijing and agreeing on a host of measures to normalise ties. Among the highlights was the upgrade in ties with the Taliban with the first political contact in the form of external affairs minister S Jaishankar's talks with the acting Afghan foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi. Modi also garnered international attention for his back-to-back visits to Russia and Ukraine, during which he stressed the importance of direct talks to end the war - something the two sides are engaged in currently. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 임플란트 고민 중이라면? 인천 시민이 주목한 33만원 시술 플란치과 더 알아보기 Undo However, many of these foreign policy hits remain an unfinished business and will test India's resolve in the days ahead. On Pakistan, the challenge will be to ensure the global community, particularly the UN Security Council where Pakistan is a member, shows understanding about the punitive terms India has set out in the 'new normal' against Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism. This will be critical in the event of another terrorist attack from across the LoC. The all-party delegations have made a beginning but there's more to be done, while being mindful of the risks of India-Pakistan re-hyphenation that such an exercise might entail. Managing the relationship with the US will be another pressing challenge in the second year of Modi 3.0. This has arisen unexpectedly from Trump's constant needling of India on bilateral trade and perhaps even more damaging utterances on the India-Pakistan conflict, like his use of the term mediation - a big taboo in Indian foreign policy lexicon - and his drawing an equivalence between India and Pakistan. India is hoping that not just the US but also its other Quad partners will be more liberal in their support for India on cross-border terrorism, like in the form of a joint statement when the foreign ministers and leaders meet this year. The third significant challenge in the next few months will be to decide whether it's time to reinforce the improvement in ties with Beijing by resuming direct air and normal visa services with and, more importantly, with a visit to the country by Modi for SCO summit. Despite China's ties with Pakistan acting as a deterrent, India has kept the door open for continued engagement. Modi has also shown interest in rebuilding ties with Canada by accepting his counterpart Mark Carney's delayed invitation for the G7 but this will be subject to Ottawa's handling of Khalistani separatists and also the probe into Nijjar murder that wrecked the relationship. Signs of improvement in Pakistan-Taliban ties and the proposal to expand CPEC into Afghanistan might pose a few problems too. All in all, a riveting, action-packed year is what awaits Modi 3.0.
Time of India
15 minutes ago
- Time of India
India will strike deep inside Pak if provoked with terror attacks: Jaishankar in Belgium
NEW DELHI: India will go deep into Pakistan to hit terrorists if they provoke the Indian govt with terror attacks, foreign minister S Jaishankar said while stressing that India will not live with terrorism anymore. In an interview in Brussels, he said Pakistan had trained thousands of terrorists and was ready to unleash them on India. Asked about China's support to Pakistan, the minister warned against double standards on the issue of terrorism. "They have had close ties for decades. But on an issue like terrorism, you cannot afford ambiguity or double standards. In the end, it's a problem that concerns all of us," said the minister. The message to the terrorists, he said, is that there is going to be retribution, and that retribution will be against the terrorist organisations and the terrorist leadership. "We don't care where they are. If they are deep in Pakistan, we will go deep into Pakistan," he said, adding that India's fighter aircraft and missiles had inflicted far more damage on the Pakistani Air Force than vice versa, forcing Pakistan to sue for peace in the conflict that followed India's Operation Sindoor against the terrorists. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Switch to UnionBank Rewards Card UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo "As far I'm concerned, how effective the Rafale was or frankly, how effective other systems were - to me the proof of the pudding are the destroyed and disabled airfields on the Pakistani side," he said. "The fighting stopped on the 10th for one reason and one reason only, which was that on the 10th morning, we hit these eight Pakistani, the main eight Pakistani airfields and disabled them," he said, adding that images are available in Google showing runways and those hangars which have taken the hit. The minister also said that the issue in Kashmir is about terrorism. "It has become an India-Pakistan issue because Pakistan harbours and supports terrorists. The conflict is between India and terrorism, not with a specific terrorists attack India, we will hunt them down wherever they are, including in Pakistan," he said.
