The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday said action would be taken against any foreign national found residing illegally in India.
The remarks by MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal came as the 57th director general-level border coordination conference between the BSF and the BGB began in Delhi. The three-day meeting, which will continue until June 11 at the BSF headquarters, is expected to focus on border security, illegal immigration, trans-border crime and fencing-related issues.
"A Border Guard Bangladesh and BSF Director General-level meeting is currently underway. This is a bilateral engagement between India and Bangladesh to discuss relevant issues," Jaiswal said. "As we have stated earlier, if any foreign national residing in India is doing so illegally, action will be taken in accordance with our laws.”
Asked about reports of some people being in "no-man's-land", Jaiswal said discussions were underway between the two sides and the issue could come up during the talks.
The meeting comes amid heightened focus on illegal immigration and deportations along the India-Bangladesh border, particularly in Bengal, where chief minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced a crackdown on undocumented Bangladeshi nationals.
Adhikari said on Sunday that around 4,800 illegal immigrants had been sent to Bangladesh from holding centres set up in border districts over the past month, while another 836 were awaiting deportation. He said those not covered under the Citizenship Amendment Act were being deported under existing provisions of law and handed over to the BSF.
The chief minister also reiterated his government's commitment to strengthening border security, saying land required for around 100 km of fencing had already been handed over to the BSF out of the 556 km required along the state's border with Bangladesh.
Over half of the 4,096-km India-Bangladesh border, around 2,216 km, runs through Bengal.
Ahead of the talks, the BSF said the agenda included discussions on preventing assaults on its personnel and Indian civilians by Bangladeshi nationals, curbing trans-border crimes, preventing the entry of criminals from Bangladesh into India, incidents of border fence breaching and issues related to fencing and border infrastructure.
"The discussions will also include action against Indian insurgent groups, issues related to border infrastructure, confidence-building measures and other issues," the force said. The meeting is the first DG-level engagement between the two border forces since the BNP government assumed office in Dhaka earlier this year.
In Dhaka, Bangladesh home minister Salahuddin Ahmed said on Sunday that allegations of Indian "push-ins" and border killings would be raised during the talks. India has maintained that only illegal immigrants were repatriated and that such actions were carried out in accordance with established laws, procedures and bilateral arrangements.
Last month, Jaiswal said India expected Bangladesh to expedite nationality verification so that the repatriation of illegal immigrants could take place smoothly.
Indian officials use the term "push back" for the immediate return of illegal migrants intercepted at the border, while Bangladesh has called some such incidents "push-ins".
Around 860 km of the India-Bangladesh border remains unfenced, including 174.51 km classified as unsuitable for fencing.
The previous DG-level meeting between the BSF and the BGB was held in Dhaka in August 2025, when Bangladesh was under the interim administration headed by Muhammad Yunus.
The talks, held annually between 1975 and 1992, have been conducted twice a year since 1993, with the venue alternating between New Delhi and Dhaka.