NSA Ajit Doval lauds Israel’s defence prowess, cites Chanakya’s mantra for defending own borders

NEW DELHI — National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Friday praised Israel for strongly defending its borders amidst sharp escalation by Hamas and other terror outfits and explained how its harnessing of technology thwarted the evil designs of a ‘gang of rivals’.

Addressing the 21st BSF Investiture Ceremony, NSA Ajit Doval said: “Some days ago, there were a series of missile attacks on Israel from Iran. Out of 1500 missiles, 99 per cent of missiles were stopped while only two to three could hit its territory. This is the strength of technology.”

Further explaining the importance of intelligence gathering, he said that given the size of the country and its vast population, India was ‘better placed’ in mounting defence of its borders.

He said that the lack of ‘tactical intelligence’ proved to be the major reason for the October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in hundreds of Hamas infiltrators breaching its territory and massacring its citizens.

“We are fortunate to have a huge force, a bustling population on our borders. Villagers here, familiar to terrains and local languages, can serve as eye and ear for the forces, in intelligence gathering,” he told the audience.

NSA Doval lauded the Border Security Forces (BSF) for doing a splendid and impressive job in guarding the nation’s frontiers and also helping in internal security on special occasions.

On a lighter note, Doval also recalled the mantra of Chanakya, the famed strategist and said, “You can’t control the borders where the local population is hostile to you.”

Dishing out tips on security management in border areas, he said: “You must befriend the border population. Locals shouldn’t feel that people in uniforms are here to control them, to impose restrictions on them, to make their lives more regulated and complicated. It should be rather friendly and warm.”