Broader Framework to Deal with Terrorism | UPSC Mains: Internal Security & Disaster Management PDF Download

• National security is a multifaceted and all-encompassing concept related to building comprehensive national power. It envisages a symbiotic relationship between internal and external security, reinforcing the premise that a country’s external security posture is organically linked to its internal strength.
• For internal stability, strong political institutions, economic growth, social harmony, efficient law and order machinery, expeditious judicial relief and good governance are prerequisites.
• A sound framework to deal with terrorism would be an integrated and comprehensive whole in keeping with India’s cultural ethos, which would lay down what needs to be done to meet the cross domain and other challenges. Security begets stability, and both are essential for growth and development.

The major focus areas of the strategy can be:

To tackle violence

• Protection of minorities, remote and scattered populations
• Protection of vital installations
• Strengthening of counter-terrorism grid through greater functional integration of the efforts through an institutional framework of Operation Groups and Intelligence Groups at all levels
• Improved technology, gadgetry and equipment for state Police, Central Police Forces and modernization/ strengthening of Police in general to prepare the organization to take over the lead role in the direct anti-terrorism operations
• Providing specific intelligence to ensure operations with focused target
• Involving people through volunteer Village Defence Committees, etc.
• Ensuring that while no quarter is provided to the terrorists, the Security Forces (SFs) take steps to avoid collateral damage (as far as possible) and also to show a humane face to the innocent civilians and thus develop better relations with the local population
• Dynamic force deployment and flexibility of tactics to counter the changing strategies of terrorists

To tackle cross-border terrorism

• Curbing infiltration/ex-filtration.
• Fencing of International Border (IB) and creating obstacles along the Line of Control (LoC) and in depth areas along terrorist routes (supported by multi-tier deployment).
• Enhancing intelligence capabilities.