WITH elaborate planning and execution a long drawn ethnic problem has been successfully solved. Due credit must go to the personal interest taken by Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Mr. Amit Shah, the Chief Ministers of Tripura and Mizoram and the Assamese leadership. With this settlement 30000 displaced Bru tribals will have their rightful place to live in Tripura. For the last over two decades these tribals, who had fled Mizoram due to ethnic clashes, have been living in camps without any civic facilities. These tribals refused to go back to Mizoram and hence it was necessary to hammer out a solution to their problem of rehabilitation in Tripura itself. Thanks to the Union Government, an agreement to rehabilitate them in Tripura has been finally put in place with all the citizenship rights. This could serve as a model to deal with the problem of the Kashmiri Pandits as well who have been displaced in the wake of militancy in Kashmir and also many other lingering similar problems.

NAVAL DEFENCE

ONE of the key components in national security, maritime defence has assumed greater importance in the present times, especially against the backdrop of expansionist ambitions harboured by China. While the Indian Navy is in the process of strategic upgradation to become a potent power to guard the Indian Ocean, back home near the shores the Indian Coast Guard is set to acquire a major fleet in the next five years. The Coast Guard’s vision of reaching 200 ships and 100 aircraft inventory by year 2025 is a realistic target keeping in mind the major thrust in budget by the Centre. From Rs. 1000 crore to Rs. 5000 crore, the Government’s emphasis on keeping the second line of naval defence sturdy and ready for operational duties is a comforting step. The Indian Coast Guard has a stellar role to play in the region. It is imperative to strengthen the fleet after the recent breach by foreign vessels in India’s exclusive economic zone.