Borders neglected in past, top priority for Modi government now: Rijiju on claims of Chinese intrusion in Arunachal
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju stated that the Indian government has made border infrastructure development a top priority, countering claims of recent Chinese incursions in Arunachal Pradesh. He criticized the previous Congress government's historical policy of leaving border areas underdeveloped for strategic reasons.
Why it matters
This highlights ongoing geopolitical tensions between India and China and the shift in India's national security strategy regarding border defense and infrastructure.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday (August 20, 2026) said border areas had been neglected in the past but were now a "top priority" of the Narendra Modi government, as he sought to counter claims of fresh Chinese incursions in Arunachal Pradesh .
Mr. Rijiju also invoked former Defence Minister A.K. Antony's 2013 statement in Parliament acknowledging India's historical policy of keeping border areas underdeveloped, though Mr. Antony had then said that the approach had been discarded by successive governments much before the UPA came to power.
The remarks by Mr. Rijiju, who represents Arunachal West in the Lok Sabha, come amid renewed concerns over Chinese military activity in the Upper Subansiri region of Arunachal Pradesh.
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