Union Home Minister Amit Shah directs states to speedily implement uniform anti-terror structure
New Delhi [India], December 29 (ANI): Amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s firm directive on zero tolerance to terrorism, the 5th Anti-Terror Conference of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) concluded on Saturday with a strong emphasis on enhancing India’s anti-terror capacity. The focus was on a model Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) structure aimed at improving coordination and enabling seamless real-time information exchange among central and state security and investigative agencies.
According to an official release, the conference reiterated the Central Government’s policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism in all its forms and its commitment to strengthening the country’s counter-terror apparatus. The conference was inaugurated on Friday by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Addressing the gathering, Amit Shah directed all states to expeditiously implement a uniform ATS structure to strengthen India’s counter-terrorism capabilities. He emphasised that without robust, uniform, and consistent operational capacity across the country, effective utilisation of intelligence and coordinated counter-terror actions would not be possible.
The Home Minister also lauded the operational and investigative success of various agencies and state police forces in the recent terror attack cases of Pahalgam and the Delhi Red Fort blast. He said these agencies had made the country proud through their thorough and professional handling of the Pahalgam targeted attack case.
Referring to the successful tracking and elimination of the three terrorists involved in the attack, Shah stated, “This is the first terrorist incident in which we punished the people who planned the act of terrorism through Operation Sindoor, and the terrorists who carried out the attack were neutralised through Operation Mahadev.”
He described the twin operations as a strong and decisive response by the Government of India, India’s security forces, and the people of India to terrorist masterminds based in Pakistan. Highlighting the constantly evolving technology and terror landscape, the Minister stressed the need for continuous assessment and re-evaluation of counter-terror strategies.
The Home Minister further underlined the importance of addressing international dimensions of terrorism, including cyber warfare, hybrid warfare, multi-domain security challenges, and the free flow of intelligence. He urged all central and state agencies to strengthen investigation and prosecution capabilities and asked states to conduct regular training programmes for security and police personnel.
On the occasion, Shah congratulated officers and staff who were honoured with service medals for their outstanding performance. He also paid heartfelt tributes to over 36,000 personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and state police who have made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.
In his concluding remarks, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan highlighted the institutionalisation of the Anti-Terror Conference as a critical tool to reinforce India’s zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, narco-terrorism, and cyber-enabled terrorism.
He stressed the need for heightened vigilance against emerging threats, particularly those arising from radicalisation, recruitment, and the exploitation of vulnerable youth to carry out violent acts. Mohan also noted that the newly initiated Track-2 discussions at the conference focused on issues such as digital device data, big data analytics, and unmasking digital anonymity.
The Home Secretary lauded the NIA’s conviction rate of over 90 per cent and said the Centre aims to scale similar conviction rates across all police forces nationwide. The conference also focused on lessons learned from investigations, pre-emptive disruption of terror modules, and experiences across various theatres such as Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the North-East, and hybrid security threats.
Discussions further explored emerging threats like deepfakes and hybrid warfare, while emphasising the growing importance of digital forensics and data analysis in counter-terror investigations. Other key areas included countering terror financing, maritime terrorism, illicit trafficking, and the evolution of counter-terrorism jurisprudence.
The inaugural session was attended by heads of State Police, Central Police Organisations (CPOs), and CAPFs, along with over 150 delegates from state, Union Territory police forces, and central agencies. Union Ministers of State Nityanand Rai and Bandi Sanjay Kumar were also present at the inauguration. (ANI)
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