TERRORISM AND NATIONAL SECURITY
Author :-AKSHITA JAIN, A STUDENT AT BHARATI VIDYAPEETH INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH
INTRODUCTION
National security issues are extremely important for the long-term success of any political system. This assertion goes against the conventional wisdom that sustainable development is the result of an enabling environment. These security threats include armed robbery, cross-border ethnic clashes, abductions, terrorism, and uprisings. Terrorism is a serious threat to National security as it causes loss of life, panic among people, Tourism Industry, loss of foreign investment, damaged economy, and threat to national security.
TERRORISM
Terrorism is the deliberate use of violence to instill fear in a population in order to achieve a political goal. Political organizations with rightist and leftist goals, nationalist and religious groups, revolutionaries, and even state institutions such as military, intelligence, and police have all been perpetrators of terrorism. The term “terrorism” was first used in 1790 to describe the terror used by the French Revolutionists against their adversaries. During the French Revolution, the Jacobin party, led by Robespierre, carried out a reign of terror that included mass executions by guillotines. While terrorism in this sense refers to an act of state violence against domestic adversaries, since the turn of the century, the term has most often been used to describe violence directed directly or indirectly at governments in order to influence politics or to bring down an existing regime.
TERRORISM IN INDIA
In 2021, terrorism continued to be a major concern in the Union Territory (J&K) of India, as well as in the northeastern states and parts of the central part of the country. Terrorist groups operating in India are known as Lashkar-e’Tayyiba, Jaish-e’Mohammed, Hizbul Muujahideen, ISIS, Al-Qaida, JUI, and JIM. Terrorist tactics shifted towards attacks on civilians and increased reliance on Improvised Explosive Devices, including an attack on an Air Force base using drones. The Indian government worked hard to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the activities of terrorist organizations. A total of 153 terrorist attacks were carried out in J&K in the course of the year, resulting in the death of a total of 274 persons, including 45 security personnel and 36 civilians, as well as 193 terrorists. Other highlights of the year included an ambush in Manipur on November 1 by the PLO, which resulted in the death of seven people, including an I.S.O. and his wife and a minor son.
LEGISLATION, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND BORDER SECURITY
There were no major changes to terrorism-related laws, but India did expand the number of multi-agency centres to increase intelligence sharing between state and federal authorities. India is implementing United Nations Security Council Resolution 2396 through the use of watchlists, biometric and biographic screening at entry points, and prioritization of information sharing. The United States and India have a bilateral agreement to work together to improve border security and intelligence-sharing. The US government is still waiting for the Indian Government to decide on a proposal to collaborate on help with watch listing. India is also working with the US to implement UN Security Council Resolution 2309, and is introducing dual-screen X-ray screening for cargo at airport locations.
INITIATIVES BY INDIAN GOVERNMENT
- NIA special court sentences death penalty to 5 Indian Mujahideen agents accused of detonating explosives in Hyderabad in February 2013 killing 18 people and injuring 131 others.
- Three new branches of NIA operationalised at Kolkata, Raipur and Jammu
- ISIS and AUU declared as terrorist organisations by including them in UAPA
- With the objective of ease of doing business new guidelines for national security clearance formulated.
CONCLUSION
Tackling terrorism requires a multi-faceted strategy. First and foremost, social and economic development must be a priority, so that vulnerable segments of society are not duped with false promises of wealth and equality by terrorist groups. Secondly, the administration, and in particular service delivery mechanisms, must be responsive to people’s legitimate and long-standing grievances, so that they are addressed promptly and can’t be hijacked by terrorist groups.
