New Delhi, Dec 26: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Friday said that the investigations into the Pahalgam attack and Delhi blast cases were not examples of routine policing, but outstanding instances of watertight investigation.
Inaugurating the two-day ‘Anti-Terrorism Conference-2025’ in New Delhi, Home Minister Shah said that the attack in Baisaran Valley was one that shook the entire country.
“Through this attack, the terrorists wanted to disrupt communal harmony in the country and deliver a blow to the new era of development and tourism that has begun in Kashmir,” he said. Shah said that based on extremely precise intelligence, forces neutralised all three terrorists, delivering a stern message to Pakistan.
He said that this was the first terrorist incident in which those who planned the terrorist act were punished by us through ‘Operation Sindoor’, and those who carried out the act with the weapons provided to them were neutralised through ‘Operation Mahadev’.
The Home Minister said that at both ends, the Government of India, the Indian security forces, and the people of India had given a strong and befitting reply to Pakistan’s terrorist masters through security forces and intelligence agencies.
He said that a team of investigating agencies had conducted a complete and successful investigation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, which agencies around the world would study in the coming days.
Shah said that the results of the investigation into the Pahalgam terrorist attack will put Pakistan in the dock on international platforms.
He said that the Jammu and Kashmir Police conducted an excellent investigation into the explosion that occurred in Delhi.
The Home Minister said that the incident in Delhi happened with 40 kg of explosives, while 3 tonnes of explosives were recovered before they could detonate, and the entire team involved in conspiring this plot was apprehended before the Delhi blast could take place.
He said that the investigation of this entire network was carried out very effectively by all our agencies.
Shah said that this also served as a very significant example of how a constantly vigilant officer can save the country from such a massive crisis.
He said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of zero-tolerance against terrorism, this annual conference had become a platform to deal with emerging threats.
The Home Minister said that in the last 3 years, the country had moved forward in the direction of making this conference an annual tradition.
He said that this conference was not merely a forum for discussion, but actionable points emerge here, and the NIA, along with all related agencies of the states, continuously work throughout the year towards their implementation.
Shah said that as a result, the government was succeeding in building a strong anti-terrorism grid across the country.
He said that this conference was not just a medium to reiterate India’s resolve for security.
The Home Minister said that the objective of this conference was also to analyse all terrorist incidents that occurred in the country and the world in the past year, along with the intelligence received about them, and to enhance India’s counter-terrorism capabilities accordingly.
He said that the landscape of terrorism in the world was now changing due to the use of technology in terrorist incidents alongside technological advancements, and India too must prepare to prevent this.
Shah said that it was the national responsibility of this conference to anticipate invisible future challenges and to prevent them.
He said that today, three new initiatives had been launched.
“The updated crime manual prepared by the NIA was released today,” the Home Minister said.
He requested all Director Generals of Police from the states to form a team in their respective states and ensure that they study this manual for investigation and prosecution purposes.
Shah said that today, the weapons e-database had also been launched.
He said that today, a database on organised crime networks had also been released.
The Home Minister said that organised crime networks initially operate for the purpose of ransom and extortion, but when their leaders flee abroad and settle there, they automatically come into contact with terrorist organisations and then use the proceeds from ransom and extortion to spread terrorism within the country.
He said that every state must, under the guidance of the NIA and CBI, with the cooperation of the IB, and by utilising this database, eliminate it within their jurisdiction.
Shah said that the government had established a new standard of coordination, cooperation, and communication among the DGP Conference, Security Strategy Conference, N-CORD meetings, and the Anti-Terror Conference.
“We cannot view these four pillars in isolation; running through them as a common thread is the Anti-Terrorism Conference,” he said.
The Home Minister said that the NIA had worked very hard to create a common ATS structure and had sent it to the Police forces of the states.
“When we establish a common ATS structure across the entire country, it provides us an opportunity for uniform preparation at every level,” he said. “A common ATS structure for the police across the country is extremely important, and all Director Generals of Police from the states should implement it as soon as possible.”
Shah said that all states’ ATS units should get into the habit of using NIDAAN and NATGRID.
He said that using NIDAAN and NATGRID in investigations ensures that cases are not investigated in isolation, but also brings to light the invisible links in the cases.
The Home Minister emphasised that the use of NATGRID should be made mandatory in certain types of investigations, and the use of NIDAAN should be made mandatory in certain types of cases.
He said that active participation in the Multi Agency Centre and the National Memory Bank should be ensured.
Shah said that the common ATS structure and operational uniformity give India an advantage in prosecuting terrorists.
“Unless we achieve operational uniformity, we cannot make an accurate assessment of threats, make proper use of intelligence sharing, or carry out coordinated counteractions,” he said.
The Home Minister emphasised that India must ensure uniformity from investigation to prosecution and counter-action.
He said that India is the world’s fourth-largest economy.
“Due to the Indian Ocean, our geo-political position is also very important,” Shah said. “As our economy progresses further, our problems will increase in the same proportion.”
He said that as India’s economy advances, it would have to enhance its vigilance accordingly.
The Home Minister said that the preparations to ensure the country’s internal security do not begin at borders; rather, the preparation to secure the borders must start many miles away.
He said that for cyber and information warfare, the misuse of economic networks, and the hybrid format of terrorism, India must develop a robust mechanism as a national grid – one that is vigilant and capable of swift, result-oriented action – and this can only be achieved through such conferences.
Shah said that building a multi-layer security model and working with a ruthless approach against terrorism were what could keep India secure in the coming days.
He said that everyone should move forward with the principle of ‘Duty to Share’ instead of ‘Need to Know’.
The Home Minister said that the central agencies and state Police have made good use of technology at their respective levels, but technology developed in silos and data collected in silos are like a gun without bullets.
“It is better if all data can communicate with each other and are created using the same technology,” he said.
Shah said that for this purpose, the Ministry of Home Affairs, NIA, and IB should hold discussions to develop a seamless national-level framework for technology and data, and should support the states in strengthening it.
He said that the database of terrorists and criminals should be made a core asset of the zero-terror policy.
The Home Minister said that he expects the Director Generals of Police of the states to implement this database framework in letter and spirit.
He said that in the coming days, the government was bringing a plan to launch a 360-degree assault on organized crime.
Shah said that India must move forward with trial-in-absentia without fear of the controversies associated with it.
“This will force fugitives to return to the country,” he said.
The Home Minister said that all agencies of the Government of India, together with the state Police, should form a ‘Team India’ that works effectively for national security.
He said that as India progresses forward, its challenges would continue to grow.
“In such a scenario, it is the responsibility of all of us to build a strong anti-terrorism grid for the country and for the coming generations of officers, so that they can firmly confront the challenges ahead,” Shah said.
The conference is being organised by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
The Home Minister also unveiled NIA’s updated crime manual, Organised Crime Network Database and Lost, Looted, and Recovered Weapon Database.
The conference was attended by Union Ministers of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Union Home Secretary, Secretary R&AW, Director General of NIA and many other dignitaries.
The conference is being attended by senior Police officers from States and UTs, officers from central agencies and departments dealing with issues related to counter terrorism and experts from related fields like law, forensics, and technology.
