Counter-Terrorism

As a nation, we have a tendency to react once a crisis overtakes us. This holds good in the case of natural disasters like the annual floods in the North-East, earthquakes, the tsunami, the most recent calamity in Uttarkhand or national security threats like Kargil, 26/11 in Mumbai, and the Chinese intrusion in Eastern Ladakh in April 2013. To this list can be added the chimera of Maoism or Left-wing Extremism (LWE).

• Deepak Kapoor
• July 2013
• Journal of Defence Studies

By abstaining from voting on the global arms trade treaty, India has exposed the treaty’s loopholes in not addressing concerns about illegal transfer of arms to terrorist organisations, insurgents groups and other non-state actors.

• Gurmeet Kanwal
• April 08, 2013
• IDSA Comments

A National Counter Terrorism Head needs to be established with the single point authority for all CT activity and with authorization to muster all resources within the country. The authority vested in him will be matched by his accountability to every terrorist strike.

• V. Mahalingam
• March 03, 2013
• IDSA Comments

The key to success in fighting urban terrorism lies in obtaining accurate intelligence about impending attacks and the neutralisation of the terrorists before they can launch their planned attacks.

• N. Manoharan
• February 22, 2013
• IDSA Comments

The Indian intervention in Sri Lanka throws up five major lessons for future regional stability operations. Firstly, it is imperative to define the mission unambiguously and establish a clear mandate. Secondly, there is need for a robust military contingency planning process as well as discussions at various levels within the system to refine plans and provide an adequate force to meet possible eventualities. Thirdly, clear command and control needs to be established at the outset and the appropriate field formation must be designated as the headquarters.

• S. Kalyanaraman
• July 2012
• Journal of Defence Studies

This article looks at the status quo of Indian counterterrorism policy—which largely favours ‘physical’ or ‘hard’ measures—and proposes that the government adopt a more holistic strategy. Termed ‘Countering Violent Extremism’, this would involve measures geared towards long-term prevention, with greater attention paid to the reasons for which people commit terrorism and to the impact of counterterrorism on communities.

• Ellie B. Hearne
• July 2012
• Strategic Analysis

India’s intelligence co-ordination and assessment apparatus at the national level and counter-terrorism policies remain mired in the days of innocence.

• Gurmeet Kanwal
• May 14, 2012
• IDSA Comments

India’s internal security situation in 2011 was relatively better than in previous years. To ensure that 2012 also turns out to be a quiet and secure year, New Delhi not only has to consolidate the gains made in 2011 but also undertake new initiatives to address these gaps.

• Pushpita Das
• December 13, 2011
• Issue Brief

This Issue Brief reviews the progress or lack thereof on the front of modernization of police forces under the Modernisation of Police Forces (MPF) Scheme, with specific reference to the Mumbai Police.

• Amit Kumar
• August 30, 2011
• Issue Brief

The desire for visibility incentivises groups like the Indian Mujahideen to engage in ‘costly-signalling’ through terror strikes.

• Namrata Goswami
• July 27, 2011
• IDSA Comments