Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday clarified that a group of foreigners recently arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Kolkata, Lucknow, and Delhi posed no security threat to India. The group included one American and six Ukrainians.

Shah stated that the group was attempting to use India as a transit route to enter Myanmar via Mizoram for terror training at insurgent bases. “They were caught as they were planning to transit through Mizoram into Myanmar, where insurgent bases would be used to impart training to the Ukrainians. They did not take the necessary advance permit required by foreigners to enter Mizoram,” he said.

This is the first official confirmation that the group’s focus was Myanmar, with India serving only as a passage. “No threat was posed to India’s security. It is our policy that any foreigner who visits India for any wrong act will not be spared,” Shah added.

On the issue of Naxalism, Shah said the March 31, 2026, deadline is not about victory or defeat but ending attacks and blasts. He noted that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Naxalism has been significantly curbed, and development is reaching tribal areas along the Tirupati-Pashupatinath corridor.