Amit Shah chairs IB meet to discuss counter-terrorism, naxal, technological upgradation among many issues

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday chaired a day-long high-level meeting of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officers across the country here in the national capital to discuss issues of counter-terrorism, Left Wing Extremism or Naxal, border matters, cyber security and technological upgradation, top government sources said.

In the meeting, the Home Minister will also assess the internal security situation in the country, threats of terrorism and the need for coordination among central and state agencies. This is part of the series of meetings that Amit Shah has been regularly holding with officials of security agencies and the police from across the country as the Union Home Minister.

"Amongst the issues that will be discussed at today's interaction are Left Wing Extremism, Counter Terrorism, Border Issues, Cyber Security and Technological upgradation," a senior Home Ministry official told ANI requesting anonymity. The meeting started at 11 am at a secret and highly secured location in the city and is expected to go on till 5 pm.

Another MHA official told ANI that the Home Minister will take stock of the overall internal security scenario, intelligence gathering network and other aspects needed to be addressed so that robust internal security is ensured in the country. Issues like continued threats of terrorism and global terror groups, terror financing, narco-terrorism, organised crime-terror nexus, illicit use of cyberspace and movement of foreign terrorist fighters are expected to be discussed in the meeting.

Focus on better coordination and synergy among the central and state security agencies in countering the ever-changing security challenges, would be among the major issues that will be discussed, said the source. The meeting was also attended by other senior officers across the country concerned with intelligence-related issues. Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, IB chief Tapan Deka were also among the topmost officers who attended the meeting.

The meeting was held days after the Home Minister recently held a Chintan Shivir in Haryana with Home Ministers, officials and police officials of states.