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Terrorism had been a curse for many nations, and India, with its diverse people, strategic location, and all-historical complexities, was most uniquely targeted by these forces. India has witnessed attacks upon attacks over the past decades number of which have just gotten worse and worse than the last, with the nation still bearing the scar on people's collective memory. This reminds us of the horrific destruction that terrorism brings, and it would be one with the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.
However, to understand the issue properly, we must place it within the context of terrorism in India and how it has shaped the security landscape of this nation.
When Terrorism started in India
Terrorism in India owes its roots to a series of factors—political, religious, and ideological. The Kashmir insurgency, partly because of the separatist movements there and partly because of some external support during the late 20th century, became one of the main sources of terrorism in India. Radical Islamist militancy in the Kashmir Valley increased toward the end of the 1980s, with a whole series of violent clashes between militants and Indian security forces. Terrorism from across the border, sponsored by Pakistan, has been an exacerbating factor in this ongoing battle.
Of course, beyond Kashmir, there exists another major centre of violence fueled by extremist left-wing ideology in central and eastern India: the Naxalite insurgency. While the stimuli or stimuli for these movements are often socio-economic, in some cases, they have been hijacked by forces that resort to terrorist tactics to achieve their objectives.
Terrorism and its Changing Face in India
Now, while homegrown insurgencies have been part of the mix, terrorism in India has increasingly taken on international linkages, especially terror organizations working out of Pakistan. Organizations like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen have attacked India through its civilians, security personnel, and infrastructure in a bid to break the social tapestry and instil fear.
India has witnessed many terror attacks over the years. That included the 1993 Bombay bombings, the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, and the 2008 Jaipur and Delhi bombings. Not one of them spread as far around the globe, nor did they leave as lasting an imprint as the ones those 26/11 attacks in Mumbai did.
Turning Point: The 26/11 Mumbai Attacks
It was on 26th November 2008, that night of dreadful attack where India witnessed one of its worst attacks ever. Ten terrorists with rifles and explosives created waves of coordinated attacks throughout the whole city. Among them were Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Oberoi Trident Hotel, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CST) railway station, and Nariman House, which happened to be a Jewish community centre.
Attacks by the Islamist extremist group based in Pakistan, LeT, lasted over 60 hours. Terrorists landed on a hijacked fishing trawler confiscated for landing on the coast of Mumbai. Divided into several teams after landing, they unleashed a reign of terror, targeting and abducting civilians. International violence and the weakness of even India's most fortified cities have been duly exposed.
More than 170 people lost their lives, and over 300 were injured in the attack that involved even 26 foreign nationals. The whole world witnessed how India's elite forces, like the National Security Guard (NSG), fought the terrorists. Some of the brave hearts who lost their lives include senior police officers such as Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, and Vijay Salaskar, and the hotel staff members who fought for their lives to save the guests.
The 26/11 attacks left an impact not just in India but in the global arena as well for its fight against terrorism. It gave the world a glimpse into the growing sophistication of terror groups, their capability of carrying out large-scale, high-profile attacks, and their willingness to cause maximum damage. The attacks were very well-planned by the terrorists. They had a level of training and preparation that had never been witnessed before in India.
Consequences of Terrorism on India:
What the 26/11 attacks brought ashore in India were international threats through terrorism. It is one thing to have years of insurgencies and localized violence, but this attack marked a scale and brutality that gave the wrong signal about the face of terrorism. The attack brought to the fore the need for more potent counter-terrorism strategies, improved intelligence-sharing, and finally a rethink on security matters both nationally and locally.
India strengthened its counter-terrorism operations, improved coastal security, and enacted stronger laws to handle terrorism. This paved the way for the establishment of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which monitored investigations into terror activities all over the country. The government strengthened cooperation with international intelligence agencies to counter cross-border terrorism.
However, terrorism remains a major issue. Major attacks like the 26/11 kind may have been rare since, but the spate of less intensive attacks and series of bombings in places like Pune, Hyderabad, and Bangalore shows the threat is indeed omnipresent.
Role of Pakistan in India's Terrorism Struggles
Pakistan perhaps represents the most contentious aspect of terrorism in India. India has been vociferously accusing Pakistan of hosting and supporting entities like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed that have their bases within Pakistan. And Islamabad denies channelling the same entities even as the latter continues to carry out operations from Pakistani soil against India.
The world witnessed 26/11. International attention fell on the issue in the wake of that tragedy. It was known that much stronger steps were required to counter terrorism from across borders. The attack had evidence of Pakistan-based groups having perpetrated it; deliverance for the victims has been incomplete as of this writing, including nearly five years since the mastermind, Hafiz Saeed, remains elusive to the law.
How to Counter Terrorism in India
India has come a long way since the 26/11 attack, but it has to go much further before it gives up terrorism. Investments in security, intelligence, and international cooperation are preventing the attack from happening once again. The greatest strength of the Indian nation remains the resilience of the people. Whether it is the police force, the military, or the citizens of this country, the nation showed unwavering strength against the forces of terror.
However, it has well been depicted in history that terrorism does not exist in India exclusively; it spreads all over the world and requires a concerted and collective effort from all quarters of the international community. What's more, the war against terrorism has to be combated not just with military measures but by the efforts at the cause of those acts-that is, poverty, ignorance, and political instability.
It will be a day of Remembering the 26/11 victims and all others who have lost their lives at the hands of terrorists. We have a huge challenge before us, but so also is the collective will to emerge as a winner to that challenge. Together India and the world can stand up to fight against the forces of terror for a secure and peaceful future.
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