Undefined borders in west and north adversely affects country, says National Security Adviser Ajit Doval

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval emphasizes the importance of secure borders for India's economic progress and internal security.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval said on May 24 that the undefined borders in the west and north have adversely affected the country and its weight on internal security in terms of terrorism, radicalism, drug trafficking is a liability for the nation. He said India’s economic progress would have been much faster “if we had more secure borders.”

Mr. Doval was addressing the Investiture ceremony of the Border Security Force (BSF).

India shares an undefined border with China in the north, while a large area has been occupied by Pakistan in the west.

“If both our borders, in north and west had been defined and not in state of adversarial disposition, ...India’s economic progress would have been much faster if we had more secure borders and in future I don’t think that our borders are going to be as secure as we will require for our fast economic growth, so the responsibility of border guarding force becomes very very heavy. They have got to remain alert 24/7 alert and got to see that our national interests are protected,” he said adding that in the next 10 years India will be a $10 trillion economy and will become self-reliant in military power.

“Borders are important because that is the limit which defines our sovereignty. Up to the last point where our border soldier is able to go and put his foot down, that is the limit of our sovereignty, zameen par jo kabja hai wo apna hai, baaki sab adalat aur kacheri ka kaam hai, usse fark nahin padta (what matters are the areas where we can establish our claim physically, else is paper work).

“We got to see whether the border on northern or western side, they not only determine the limits of our sovereignty, not only important for our territorial integrity, they also have an impact on our internal security and stability,” the NSA said.

He added, “border security also has a bearing on socio-economic security of the country such as the coming of radicalisation, we have large number of Rohingyas coming here, people from Arakan (Myanmar) area are coming and sometimes due to religious and travel affinity (in India) they have socio-political implications.”