A focused and effective response is the way forward to tackle new internal security challenges
R.C. Sharma
India faces insurmountable internal security challenges such as terrorism, Left-Wing Extremism, insurgency, and ethnic turmoil. Our constitutional structure is federal, wherein federalism defines the division of powers between Union and state governments. Police and public order falls under a state’s domain, thus primary responsibility to deal with internal security challenges lies with state governments.
Yet, it is often seen that the police is not able to maintain routine law and order which forces states to requisition Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to deal with internal security challenges. Article 355 makes it incumbent upon the Union to continuously evaluate external and internal security situation and protect states against external aggression and internal disturbances.
As such, there is a need to carry out an in-depth analysis of national security challenges and evaluate response mechanism regularly. So, what are the major internal security challenges? The Committee of Estimates, ministry of home affairs (MHA) 28th report for the year 2017-18 and MHA’s annual report 2022-23, categorises internal security challenges as under:
- Terrorism in the hinterland of country
- Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) in certain areas
- Insurgency in the Northeastern states
- Cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir
Surprisingly, these internal security challenges have remained constant, which means that no in-depth analysis of dynamic internal security challenges has been done in a structured manner. Without analysis, there cannot be a structured response to deal with such dynamic challenges. Piecemeal response may not serve the purpose. Over the years, new challenges have emerged such as:
- Drone and drug terrorism
- Illegal migration and infiltration into the Northeast (NE)
- Ethnic turmoil and terrorism in Manipur
- Coordinated efforts to encircle Chicken’s Neck to isolate the Northeast
The new challenges have been on government’s radar in passing, as was revealed from the response of the then home secretary before the Committee of Estimates. He said, “I would like to make you aware that the main threat to internal security is also on land border, and on the coast land as well as also due to our internal insurgency”. It was a generalised response without a response strategy. There is a need to analyse major internal security challenges. Let’s now understand in details.
Terrorism in the Hinterland
Cross-border-sponsored terrorism in the form of infiltration of terrorists, arms and ammunition and indigenous terrorism in collaboration with cross-border elements is found in the hinterland. This type of terrorism includes terrorist groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir in coordination with Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and Northeast-based dormant terrorist groups which are regrouping and establishing camps close to the border under ‘strike and fall-back strategy’ to disturb the NE.
Left-Wing Extremism
Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) poses a major challenge to internal security. The factors which forced tribals to join Naxalism include their dissatisfaction with the Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980, lack of development projects, misgovernance and large-scale mining operations which displaced them. However, the geographical spread of LWE has been shrinking considerably. In 2022, the LWE violence incidents were reported from 176 police stations in 45 districts spread across eight states. Now, the arc of violence is restricted to 25 districts accounting for 90 per cent violence. The Union government has fixed March 2026 as the deadline for eradication of LWE, despite the fact that it remains a major threat in states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and some parts of Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
Insurgency in the Northeast
The NE is characterised by diversity of language, ethnicity, tribal rivalry, migration, limited resources and the long porous international border with Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan. The NE region, comprising eight states, has 200 plus ethnic groups with diverse languages, dialects and socio-cultural identities.
As per the MHA’s annual report for 2022-2023, the region accounts for 7.97 per cent of the country’s geographical area and 3.78 per cent of the population with 5,484 km long border. The ethnic diversity and long open and porous border has led to a fragile security situation in the NE region. And this has led to violence, extortion, kidnappings, looting and various demands by insurgent groups. Banning insurgent groups may not be a solution because it will only aggravate the situation. The measures taken so far by the government like deployment of CAPFs and reimbursement of security-related expenditure and sanction of the India Reserve battalions have only temporarily stabilised the situation. To control insurgency in the NE, development, changing perception of continued neglect by New Delhi and engaging actively with diverse ethnic groups, relentless operations and plugging open and porous borders are essential.
Cross-border Terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir
Cross-border terrorism is one of the main factors of violence in Jammu and Kashmir. Terrorists sponsored from across the border in coordination with local support carry out violent incidents in the hinterland. Jammu and Kashmir has two border categories--International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LC). The Border Security Force (BSF) is responsible for the IB while the Indian Army guards the LC. Yet, despite all the measures, terrorist activities continue unabated along these borders. In fact, infiltration from the LC is much more given that it is longer. Hence, stringent steps are needed on the LC to control infiltration. Unless that is done, Jammu and Kashmir may have to live with the evil of terrorism.
New Internal Security Challenges
Drone and Drug Terrorism: Additional director general, BSF Western Command, Satish S Khandare was quoted in the Times of India dated 2 December 2024, as informing that in 2023, the BSF seized 107 drones in Punjab, six in Rajasthan and two in Jammu. In 2024, the BSF recovered 250 drones, out of which 242 were spotted in Punjab, six in Rajasthan and two along Jammu border.
In addition, 663kg of narcotics and 69 weapons were seized. Six infiltrators killed. Along the coast of Gujarat, 3,200kg of narcotics was seized and five people with suspected Pakistan links held. As per a PTI report, 700kg of Meth was seized by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Indian Navy and Gujarat anti-terrorist squad (ATS). There have been many major drug hauls along the Gujarat coast and harbours. The analysis covers whole of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and coastal Gujarat. It is common knowledge that the amount seized maybe 20-25 per cent of what is unseized. Therefore, drone and coast-induced narco-terrorism poses a major internal security challenge, and it needs urgent government attention.
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