Internal Security

About Centre

The Centre focuses on issues that challenge India’s internal security. Secessionist movements based on ethnic identities in the Northeast and Jammu & Kashmir have been contesting the Indian state through violent means for decades. The Left Wing Extremism movement based on Marxist-Leninist ideology is engaged in a struggle to overthrow the democratic structure of the Indian state. Intermittent terrorist attacks perpetrated by foreign and home grown terrorist groups have been disrupting peace and political order in the country. Infiltration, illegal migration, and trafficking of arms and narcotics are not only breaching the country’s international borders but are also aggravating its security situation. The research efforts of the Centre are focused on analysing the trends, patterns, causes, and implications of these threats and challenges, and suggesting policy alternatives. The Centre’s research agenda includes: left wing extremism, insurgencies in the Northeast India, cross border terrorism and militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, global and national trends in terrorism, management of India’s international borders and security of its coasts.

The Centre also undertakes various projects entrusted by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Security Council Secretariat on matters internal security. The Centre has a mix of civilian scholars and officers deputed from the armed forces and central armed police forces.

The Centre has a bilateral agreement to collaborate with the Border Security Forces’ Institute for Border Management and Strategic Studies.

Arming the Unarmed

Given lack of training, combat exposure and expertise in use of weapons, SPOs are unlikely to be effective even in the defensive line of action.

‘Peace Talks’ in Assam’s Post Election Scenario

Returning for a third consecutive term the Tarun Gogoi government in Assam should now confront and resolve the sensitive Internal Security Challenges from the perspective of ‘peace talks’ as against the victims’ right to justice

Economic Potential of Northeast India: An Asset or Threat?

Although the causes of insurgency in the region have been primarily political, the ambiguity related to its economic potential has added fuel to the turmoil.

Understanding the Maoist Challenge through the Development Debate

The sense of a liberated zone is apparent as one enters Chitrakonda, with three storey tombs painted in red with the comrades’ name and a hammer and sickle dotting the arid landscape.

al Qaeda: Beyond Osama-bin Laden

The death of Osama bin laden, is not the end of al Qaeda. It may disable it, but will not kill ‘al Qaeda the idea or movement’. We need to remember that bin Laden and al Qaeda articulated a political grievance which will not disappear with his elimination. The 'war of ideas' is still on.

India-Pakistan Game-Theoretic Interplay

To make the transition from the prevalent Nash Equilibrium with its lower payoffs to Pareto-optimal which will yield higher pay offs, India and Pakistan must break away from their traditional thinking of making no concessions.

Nexus of Drug Trafficking and Militancy Exposed at New Delhi

Drug trafficking has become a major source of funding for armed groups in the north east and contributes to the continuance of militancy in the region.

Shivananda H
April 13, 2011
IDSA Comments

Militarism and the Future of Democracy in Manipur: Impressions from the Field

India’s two core national security objectives of territorial integrity and sovereignty can be better achieved through individual progress and overall societal happiness especially of its ethnic minorities.

Strategic Intelligence and National Security: The Role of Think Tanks

Strategic Intelligence depends primarily on open source information and provides a broad net assessed picture of the security environment.

Shivananda H
April 08, 2011
IDSA Comments

Maoists in Delhi and NCR: Wake-up time for Police

When the Maoists’ urban movement attains criticality among industrial labour, they may seek to organise sabotage and industrial strikes. Security forces will have to be prepared to respond to urban terrorism.