India pursues proactive defence policy: Shah

Kolkata: India has developed a 'proactive defence policy' and has zero-tolerance towards terrorism only after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday.

Amit Shah was speaking after inaugurating the National Security Guard's (NSG's) 29 Special Composite Group complex in Rajarhat, just outside West Bengal's capital of Kolkata.

Shah said that after Modi came to power a distinct differentiation has been made between India's defence and foreign policy. "After Modiji became the PM, we have now developed a proactive defence policy, which the country had been waiting for a long time.

For 70 years there was no segregation between our foreign policy and defence policy. Under Modiji, there has been a fine distinction between the two policies," he said.

Shah also said India has now joined the league of countries like the US and Israel in carrying out surgical strikes and airstrikes.

"We want peace in the entire world. In our history of 10,000 years, India has never attacked anyone. But we would not allow anyone to disrupt our peace, wouldn't allow anyone to violate our borders.

And anyone who takes the lives of our soldiers will have to pay dearly," he said. He also said people who want to create a 'divide' in the country and 'disrupt peace' must fear NSG.

"Under Prime Minister Modi, we are following the policy of zero-tolerance towards terrorism and NSG should take the leading role in delivering upon it… I request you to make your presence felt in such a way that they (terrorists) should be scared to come here and even stop coming," he said.

"People who want to divide the nation, harm the country and disrupt its peace, they should fear the presence of NSG. If they still come, it is NSG's responsibility to fight and defeat them," he added.

The Home Minister also exuded confidence that the Centre under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi will meet the expectations of its security organisations and added that "wars are won by the bravery and not equipment."

"We will try to fulfil it within a period of five years. We can provide you good accommodation, the government can take care of the needs of your families, we can provide you with modern equipment and technology, but wars are won by the bravery and not equipment," he said.

Talking about the expansion of the NSG, Shah said the country decided to expand the network of NSG after the Mumbai attacks in 2008. "NSG has finely proven its presence in the entire country gradually.

After today's inauguration, the coordination will only get better," he added.