India, May 17 -- There is a tendency in certain sections of intellectual and political discourse to blur the distinction between migration and illegal infiltration. That distinction, however, matters fundamentally.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasized that infiltration is a "premeditated conspiracy" to change the country's demography, comparing the situation to a "home overrun by termites". In his 79th Independence Day address (August 2025), he announced a "high-powered demography mission" to tackle illegal infiltration, targeting those taking livelihoods and land. Illegal immigration in India cannot be treated merely as an emotional or partisan issue anymore. The concerns over illegal immigration are neither new nor unique to Ind...