Indo-Pak border will be sealed by 2018: Rajnath Singh

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said the entire stretch of 3,323-km-long border between the two countries would be “completely sealed” by December 2018, for which a time-bound action plan would be formulated.

Speaking to reporters after holding a security review meeting in Jaisalmer, Mr. Singh said the procedure for sealing the international border would be developed in a planned manner, with a mechanism in place for its periodic monitoring at multiple levels in the defence establishment as well as the governments of the four border States.

The Home Minister was on a two-day visit to the border areas of Rajasthan, where he interacted with the Border Security Force (BSF) officers and civil administration to review defence preparedness following the attack in the Army camp in Uri on September 18 and the subsequent surgical strikes on terror launch pads. Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju accompanied him.

“The project will be periodically monitored by Home Secretary at the Central level, BSF from the security forces' perspective and Chief Secretaries at the State level,” said Mr. Singh, adding that the government would apply technological solutions for sealing the border in difficult terrains.Mr. Singh



said a border security grid would also be formed, with guidelines to be framed with suggestions from all stakeholders in the border areas. The concept would be developed and a notification issued for it after getting suggestions from the Chief Ministers, Home Secretaries and Directors-General of Police, he added.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal, Gujarat Home Minister Pradeepsinh Jadeja and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Brij Raj Sharma attended the security review meeting. Mr. Singh will visit the border outposts at Munabao in Barmer district and interact with the BSF personnel on Saturday.

Asked about the ongoing tension and deteriorating relations between India and Pakistan, Mr. Singh said the nation must have full faith in its Army. “We will take all steps to ensure that the nation's security is not risked. Just as a farmer protects his crops, our soldiers will protect the country.”

Without directly replying to a volley of questions about Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's remarks on the sacrifice of soldiers, Mr. Singh said the leaders must exercise restraint in their comments and everyone should stand by the Armed Forces at this crucial juncture.