Internal Security

Module III - IX
Terrorism
Covert Proxy Wars
Khalistan Movement
Insurgency & Terrorism in Kashmir
Pan-India Urban Terrorism
India's Counter-Terrorism Efforts
Trends in Global Terrorism
 Terrorism in India
India’s geo-political landscape
 Background
• In the Arthashastra, Kautilya wrote that a state could be at risk from four
types of threats:
1. Internal

2. External

3. Externally-aided internal

4. Internally-aided external
 Background
• He advised that of these four types, internal threats should be taken care
of immediately, for internal troubles, like the fear of the lurking snake, are
far more serious than external threats.

• The most dangerous enemy is the enemy within.

 The Foreign Hand
• Destabilising a country through internal disturbances is more economical and less
objectionable, particularly when direct warfare is not an option and international
borders cannot be violated.
• External adversaries, particularly the weaker ones, find it easier to create and aid
forces which cause internal unrest and instability.
• India’s history is full of such experiences. Since Independence, we have faced
many such situations, initiated by China, Pakistan and others in the Northeast and
even in the western sectors of the country since the mid-60s.
• But only after the 9/11 attacks has the world started looking at these external and
internal linkages more seriously and even terror has acquired a new angle.
• Presently, almost all the countries of South Asia – India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri
Lanka, Maldives, Pakistan and Afghanistan – are experiencing internal security
problems, due to insurgent movements, ethnic conflicts, religious fundamentalism
etc.
 Terrorism vs Insurrection vs Insurgency
Features of Terrorism
• Terrorism does not attempt to challenge government forces directly, but acts to change
perceptions as to the effectiveness or legitimacy of the government itself.
• Strategy of terrorism remains to commit acts of violence that draws the attention of the
local populace, the government, and the world to their cause.
• Terrorists plan their attack to obtain the greatest publicity for their acts, choosing targets
that symbolize what they oppose.
• The effectiveness of the terrorist act lies not just in the act itself, but in the public’s or
government’s reaction to the act.
• More than immediate victims, terror acts try to inculcate fear in the minds of the viewer
e.g. in case of 9/11 attacks, 26/11 attacks and 1972 Munich Olympics etc.
• Usually, does not attempt to control any terrain, as it ties them to identifiable locations
and reduces their mobility and security.
• Generally do not accept any limitation in their actions such as International law, moral
constraints, sympathy towards weaker sections etc.
• E.g. 1993 serial bomb blasts in Mumbai; 9/11 attacks in USA etc.
 Features of Insurgency
• An organized rebellion aimed at overthrowing a constituted government through
the use of subversion and armed conflict.
• It is a movement with political aims.
• Its ultimate goal of an insurgency is to challenge the existing government for
control of all or a portion of its territory, or force political concessions in sharing
political power.
• Work in a very organized manner to continuously pursue goals in the long term.
• May adhere to international norms regarding the law of war in achieving their
goals.
• Unlike terrorists, insurgents try to communicate with larger social settings in their
surrounding and justify their actions with ideological basis.
• Generally abstain from sporadic violence rather their actions are a response to
specific actions of the State.
• May engage directly with govt forces in various manners such as guerrilla warfare
etc. E.g. LTTE, Naxalites etc.
 Differences between Insurgency and Terrorism
• India has been a victim of insurgency as well as terrorism ever since 1947. Many analysts
refer to insurgency and terrorism as if they are one and the same thing. But over the
period scholars have identified few characteristic differences between these two. Such as:

1) Firstly, insurgents normally target only combatants and not non-combatants though
civilians may die as a result of their attacks on combatants. Terrorists deliberately target
combatants as well as non-combatants.
2) Secondly, insurgents seek territorial control by establishing “liberated areas”. Terrorists
usually do not seek territorial control.
3) Thirdly, insurgents try to create the paraphernalia of a seeming State in the areas
controlled by them by replicating the State machinery. Terrorists don’t.
4) As an organisation, Insurgents try to emulate the State model of a hierarchical
organizational structure. Terrorists don’t.
5) Insurgents work quite visibly on a regular basis and they let their presence to be felt in
their area of operation quite often. Terrorists do not let their presence to be felt in their
area of operation.
 Insurrection
• Is a refusal of obedience and orders coming from any authority. It is an organized
opposition to wrest control from existing authority.
• Encompassing a range of behaviours aimed at destroying or taking over the
position of an established authority such as a government, governor, president,
political leader, financial institution, or person in charge.
• On the one hand the forms of behaviour can include non-violent methods such as
the phenomena of civil disobedience, civil resistance and nonviolent resistance. Eg:
2012 Anna movement for Lokpal bill
• On the other hand it may encompass violent campaigns. e.g. 1979 Iranian
Revolution to overthrow the Shah of Iran, Independence movement in colonies etc.

Comparison between Insurrection and Terrorism

• As compared to Terrorism, in Insurrection generally their contention remains over
wide range of issues.
• Scope of negotiation and consultation is more in Insurrection as compared to
Insurgency and Terrorism.
 The Khalistan Movement
Background:
• 1947 Partition of India - Independence of India was not a joyful event for Sikhs,
partition left Sikhs in a lot of discontentment with regard to their traditional lands
being lost to Pakistan.
• Punjabi Suba movement - A movement was initiated in 1955 under Akali Dal a Sikh
dominated political party.
• It sought re-organisation of Punjab along linguist lines, seeking division of the state into
Punjabi and non-Punjabi speaking areas.
• However, the division acquired communal overtones.
• The State Reorganisation Commission made its recommendations and it rejected Akali
Dal’s demand which sought separate statehood.
• The movement resulted in trifurcation of Punjab into Punjab, Haryana and Himachal
Pradesh.
• The disputes of Chandigarh and Sharing of waters of Ravi-Beas and Sutlej between the
two states - Punjab and Haryana, were the foundation on which the Khalistan
movement was created.
 The Khalistan Movement
• The Khalistan movement is a Sikh separatist movement that wants to create an
independent state for Sikh people, via armed struggle or political struggle.
• The idea of Khalistan was an idea first created in 1940s, later it remained idle but was
revived by Dr. Jagjit Singh Chohan, who was seeking a separate homeland for Sikhs.
• The Akali Dal was gradually gaining ground as the political representative of the Sikh
community and in 1973 it came out with the Anandpur Sahib Resolution.
• The Indian government tried to divide the Akalis by propping up diverse groups of people
within the Akali Dal.
• Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale led the Khalistan movement as an extremist movement, he was
initially used by the government to counter Akali Dal but later he was inspired by Khalistan
ideology and turned against the Indian government.
• In early 1980s, the movement had emerged as a major separatist movement, fed mostly by
alleged bias of the Indian Government against Punjab in the case of Chandigarh and sharing
of Ravi-Beas waters.
• The movement was fed with arms & funds under the patronage of Pakistan’s ISI which was
seeking revenge for the liberation of Bangladesh.
 The Khalistan Movement
• Bhindranwale emerged as the extremist voice of Sikhs, over-ruling the moderate voices of
leaders declared himself as the protector and arbiter of Sikh rights and acquired arms.
• Demands for separate nation-hood for Punjab was carried out through violent protests
and killings of high profile persons in the Indian & Punjab government, terror attacks,
hijackings etc.
• Operation Blue Star was conducted to capture Bhindrawale in Harmandir Sahib Complex,
but the operation resulted in strong anti-India sentiments.
• The then PM Indira Gandhi was assassinated in 1984.
• Her killing was followed by wide-spread Anti- Sikh riots across India.
• The targeted killing of Sikhs across India fuelled more anti-India sentiments.
• Manifold extremist groups like the Khalistan Liberation Force, Khalistan Commando Force,
Babbar Khalsa and umpteen others gained prominence.
• Effective counter operations by IB and RAW in India, Pakistan and across the world
accompanied by strong police action by the Punjab State Police led by KPS Gill brought
the insurgency to an end.
Revival Attempts Since 2010
Recent Developments
Lack of Co-op from Western Governments
Alleged Assassination Plots
Impact
Way Forward
 J&K Insurgency & Cross-border Terrorism
• The roots of insurgency in Jammu & Kashmir can be traced to 1947 when Pakistan
attacked India with a view to capture Jammu & Kashmir.
• Though the insurgency or say cross border terrorism in J&K started in 1989 on a
sustained basis, with the sponsorship and assistance of the ISI but J&K has had
sporadic acts of terrorism even before 1989.
• There were few genuine root causes in J&K conflict initially but later the ISI has
exploited these events in order to provoke conflict. Important reasons were -
oPoor governance, perceptions of a lack of genuine democracy, lack of inclusive
growth.
oPerceptions of the domination of the politics in the State by one family.
oThough the immediate reason was the widely perceived rigging of state elections in
1987.
oMujahideen Infiltration: Post the defeat of the Soviet Union, Mujahideen fighters,
with the aid of Pakistan, slowly infiltrated Kashmir with the goal of spreading a
radical jihadist ideology.
 J&K Insurgency
• The late 1980s witnessed large scale infiltration from across the border and a sudden
increase in insurgency.
• Minorities (Kashmiri Pandits) were targeted and forced to flee from the State.
• The decade of the 1990s saw large scale deployment of security forces in the State.
• The rise of religious fundamentalism and post 9/11 role of Taliban & Al-Qaeda in
Afghanistan has added another dimension to the insurgency in Jammu & Kashmir.
• From India’s point of view, the real threat vis-à-vis jihadist fundamentalism emanates not
so much from the Al-Qaeda and the Taliban per se but from their regional affiliates like -
➢HM (Hizbul Mujahideen)
➢HuM (Harkat-ul-Mujahideen)
➢JeM (Jaish-e-Mohammed)
➢LeT (Lashkar-e-Taiba)
 Security Response
• Counter-Terrorist & Counter-Insurgency Operations under AFSPA
 J&K Insurgency
• Formal ceasefire with Pakistan since 2003 but violations continue.
• The cross-LOC/border infiltration of trained terrorists has declined, but has
not stopped.
• Acts of terrorism, including targeted attacks continue with varying intensity.
• Attacks on Panchayats and other political establishments have been quite
regular.
• The ISI has not wound up the anti-India jihadi terrorist infrastructure in PoK
and other parts of Pakistan.
 Mitigating efforts by GoI
• Government of India has been endeavouring to tackle the problems of the troubled State
through a multi-pronged strategy with a holistically calculated approach to address areas
of concern on the political, security, developmental and administrative fronts.
• On the political front, primacy has been given to political dialogue with emphasis on
political-democratic processes and emphasis on the rule of law.
a. emphasis on comprehensive confidence building measures not only within Jammu &
Kashmir but also with Pakistan.
b. facilitating people-to-people contact between residents of Jammu & Kashmir and those
of PoK.
c. initiatives taken to reunite separated families from both sides of the border by opening
the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalakot bus services.
d. considerable relaxation in movements across the LoC in the immediate aftermath of the
devastating earthquake in the POK region.
e. Government of India initiative in holding periodic dialogues with groups representing
different shades of opinion, including the separatists.
 Developmental Agenda
• The Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan for Jammu & Kashmir, started in
2004.
• Schemes like ‘Himayat’ for Skill Development and Employment Generation
among youth to channelize their energy, since 2012.
• Infrastructure building to provide better connectivity and commutation
between the Kashmir valley and Jammu region such as the recently built
Banihal-Qazigund tunnel.
• Since 2003, as insurgency has been on the declining path, Tourism industry
has been consistently growing.
 Latest Developments
• Uri Attacks & Surgical Strikes

• Pulwama Attacks & Balakot Airstrikes

• Article 370 & Reorganisation of J&K

Terror returns in Jammu (2023-2024)
 Pan-India Urban Terrorism
• 1993 Bombay blasts
 Pan-India Urban Terrorism
• IC-814 Hijacking
 Pan-India Urban Terrorism
• 2001 Parliament attacks
 Pan-India Urban Terrorism
• Rise & Fall of Indian Mujahideen (2003 - 2011)
 Pan-India Urban Terrorism
• 2008 26/11 Mumbai Attacks
 Pan-India Urban Terrorism
• Attacks on Defence Installations (2015 - 2019)
Change in Pakistan’s Covert Strategy
 New Counter-terror Architecture for India
• In the wake of 2008 terror attacks and with the backing of ARC-II (Second
Administrative Reforms Commission), the MHA outlined ‘the new security
architecture’, a robust counter-terror mechanism for the country in 2009.
• A thorough re-organization of the prevailing security architecture was
proposed.
• The ‘new security architecture’ focuses on four developments:
1. Creation of the National Investigation Agency (NIA)
2. Amendments to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act [UAPA]
3. Setting up of a National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC)
4. Establishment of a National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID)
 Dealing With Terrorism: Legal Framework
India has had various enactments for dealing with terrorism in the past –
1. The National Security Act, 1980
2. The Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987 (allowed to lapse in 1995)
3. The Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002 (repealed in 2004)
4. Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 {as amended in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2019}.
 India’s Global Efforts to Counter Terror
1. Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT)
➢ The CCIT was proposed by India in 1996. Its objectives are -
• To have a universal definition of terrorism that all 193-members of the UNGA will adopt into their own criminal law
• It intends to criminalize all forms of international terrorism and deny terrorists, their financiers and supporters access to
funds, arms, and safe havens.
• To ban all terror groups and shut down terror camps.
• To prosecute all terrorists under special laws.
• To make cross-border terrorism an extraditable offence worldwide.

➢ Currently there is opposition from the three main blocs that have raised objections: USA, Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC) and Latin American countries.
• The most powerful objector, the U.S. has been worried about the application of the CCIT to its own military forces
especially with regard to interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq.
• The US wanted the draft to exclude acts committed by military forces of states during peacetime.
• Latin American countries had concerns about human rights violations.
• The OIC wants exclusion of national liberation movements, especially in the context of Israel-Palestinian conflict.
 India’s Global Efforts to Counter Terror
2. UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee – Maulana Masood Azhar issue
 India’s Global Efforts to Counter Terror
3. FATF

4. Multilateral Efforts

5. Bilateral Co-operation
 Major Terror Groups Across The World
• ARSA
• Afghan Taliban
• Haqqani Network
• Al-Qaeda, AQAP, AQIM
• Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan
• ETIM
• Islamic State/ISIS/ISIL/Daesh
• Al-Nusra
• Boko Haram
• Al-Shabab
• Hamas
• Hezbollah
 Mains PYQ (2014)
1. The diverse nature of India as a multi-religious and multi-ethnic society is not immune
to the impact of radicalism which is seen in her neighbourhood. Discuss along with
strategies to be adopted to counter this environment.
 Mains PYQ (2015)
2. Religious indoctrination via digital media has resulted in Indian youth joining the ISIS.
What is ISIS and its mission? How can ISIS be dangerous for the internal security of our
country?
 Mains PYQ (2016)
3. The terms ‘Hot Pursuit’ and ‘Surgical Strikes’ are often used in connection with armed
action against terrorist attacks. Discuss the strategic impact of such actions.
 Mains PYQ (2016)
4. ‘Terrorism is emerging as a competitive industry over the last few decades.” Analyse
the above statement.
 Mains PYQ (2017)
5. The scourge of terrorism is a grave challenge to national security. What solutions do
you suggest to curb this growing menace? What are the major sources of terrorist
funding?
 Mains PYQ (2019)
6. The banning of ‘Jamaat-e–Islaami’ in Jammu and Kashmir brought into focus the role of
over-ground workers (OGWs) in assisting terrorist organizations. Examine the role
played by OGWs in assisting terrorist organizations in insurgency affected areas. Discuss
measures to neutralize influence of OGWs.
 Mains PYQ (2019)
7. Indian government has recently strengthened the anti-terrorism laws by amending the
unlawful activities (Prevention) act (UAPA), 1967 and the NIA Act. Analyze the changes
in the context of prevailing security environment while discussing the scope and
reasons for opposing the UAPA by human rights organizations.
 Mains PYQ (2019)
7. Indian government has recently strengthened the anti-terrorism laws by amending the
unlawful activities (Prevention) act (UAPA), 1967 and the NIA Act. Analyze the changes
in the context of prevailing security environment while discussing the scope and
reasons for opposing the UAPA by human rights organizations.
 Mains PYQ (2015)
8. Human right activists constantly highlight the fact that the Armed forces (Special
Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) is a draconian act leading to cases of human right abuses by
security forces. What sections of AFSPA are opposed by the activists? Critically evaluate
the requirement with reference to the view held by Apex Court.
 Mains PYQ (2021)
9. Analyse the complexity and intensity of terrorism, its causes, linkages and obnoxious
nexus. Also suggest measures required to be taken to eradicate the menace of
terrorism.
 Mains PYQ (2021)
10. Analyse the multidimensional challenges posed by external state and non-state actors,
to the internal security of India. Also discuss measures required to be taken to combat
these threats.
 Mains PYQ (2022)
11. Discuss the types of organised crimes. Describe the linkages between terrorists and
organised crime that exist at the national and transnational levels.
 Mains PYQ (2023)
12. Give out the major sources of terror funding in India and efforts being made to curtail
these sources. In the light of this, also discuss the aim and objective of the ‘ No Money
for Terror [NMFT]’ Conference recently held at New Delhi in November 2022.
 Mains PYQ (2023)
13. Winning of ‘Hearts and Minds’ in terrorism affected areas is an essential step in
restoring the trust of the population. Discuss the measures adopted by the
Government in this respect as part of the conflict resolution in Jammu and Kashmir.
 Mains PYQ (2024)
14. Explain how narco-terrorism has emerged as a serious threat across the country.
Suggest suitable measures to counter narco-terrorism.