India’s Anti-Terror Strategy Enters Tech-Driven Era, Says Amit Shah At NIA Conference

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday set a decisive tone for India’s internal security agenda as he inaugurated the NIA-hosted Anti-Terrorism Conference 2025 in New Delhi, projecting a future-ready, technology-powered strategy to crush terrorism at its roots.

Anchoring his address in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s uncompromising zero-tolerance policy on terror, Shah asserted that India now confronts security threats with precision, coordination, and speed rather than reactive force alone.

Speaking to senior security officials, intelligence heads, and state representatives, Shah said India has entered an era where anticipation, data dominance, and inter-agency synergy define counter-terror operations.

He emphasised that terror networks thrive on fragmentation, and India’s response must be unified, seamless, and relentlessly proactive.

At the event, the Home Minister released an updated Crime Manual of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), calling it a critical operational upgrade that reflects emerging patterns of terrorism, organised crime, and cross-border conspiracies.

He also launched new e-databases on weapons, explosives, and organised crime syndicates, designed to enable real-time intelligence sharing and faster investigations across central and state agencies.

Shah underscored that technology now stands at the heart of India’s security doctrine. He highlighted the growing use of artificial intelligence, data analytics, and digital forensics to map terror ecosystems, trace financial trails, and neutralise threats before they mature into attacks.

According to him, these tools allow agencies to move from incident-driven responses to predictive and preventive action

Push for Uniform ATS Framework Across States

A major focus of the conference was the push for a uniform Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) structure across all states, aimed at eliminating jurisdictional gaps and operational silos.

Shah said a common framework would strengthen coordination, ensure standardised training, and enable swift joint action during crises. He described this approach as the embodiment of a ‘Team India’ security model, where states and the Centre operate as a single force against terrorism.

Citing the NIA’s track record, Shah noted that the agency has handled over 600 terror-related cases since its inception in 2009, dismantling networks linked to extremist organisations, cross-border terror outfits, and home-grown radical modules.

He praised the agency’s evolving capabilities and urged state police forces to align more closely with NIA protocols and intelligence platforms.

The conference also addressed the changing nature of threats, including lone-wolf attacks, cyber-enabled radicalisation, drone-based arms trafficking, and terror financing through digital channels.

Shah warned that India’s adversaries continuously innovate, and complacency would prove costly.

Reiterating the political resolve of the Modi government, Shah declared that national security remains non-negotiable.

“India will neither tolerate terror nor allow institutional weaknesses to aid it,” he asserted, calling for discipline, accountability, and constant innovation within the security establishment.

The Anti-Terrorism Conference 2025 concluded with a clear message: India’s fight against terror now rests on unity, intelligence superiority, and decisive leadership, with no space for ambiguity or hesitation.

Also Read: Shared Taxis, EVs To Anchor Delhi’s New Transport Push, Says CM Rekha Gupta