India keeping close eye on cross-border terrorism’: Rajnath Singh amid Afghan crisis

New Delhi, Aug 30: No anti-national force should be allowed to encourage terrorism from across the border by taking advantage of the developments in Afghanistan, assured Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Monday.

Addressing the third Balramji Dass Tandon memorial lecture organised by Panjab University on the issue of national security, Rajnath asserted the Central government is alert and capable of dealing with any situation.

"What is happening in neighbouring Afghanistan is raising new questions in terms of security and our government is keeping a watch on the developments there," said Singh in his address delivered through video conferencing.

Along with the security of Indians, Singh said, "Our government also wants that anti-national forces do not encourage terrorism from across the border by taking advantage of the development there."

"We have some more concerns which can become challenges from the point of view of national security," he added.

Singh said the Modi-led government at the Centre is alert and capable of dealing with any situation.

The Taliban took control of Afghanistan on August 15, capturing all major cities in a matter of days, two weeks before the US was set to complete its troop withdrawal after a vexatious two-decade war.