From reaction to prevention: India’s five-year turn against radicalisation
By Ashok Nilakantan Ayers For much of independent India’s history, the security response to communal violence and terrorism was essentially reactive: an attack occurred, intelligence agencies investigated it, police made arrests, and security forces moved in after violence had already begun. Over the past five years, however, India’s counter-terrorism architecture has been moving towards a […]…
India's approach to countering radicalization and terrorism has evolved from a reactive stance to a proactive one over the past five years. This shift is driven by the changing nature of the threat, with terrorist attacks no longer limited to direct border crossings but also originating from within communities, prisons, universities, and online platforms.
The government has acknowledged that factors such as online radicalization, encrypted communications, the dark web, and cryptocurrencies have altered the security environment.
The Ministry of Home Affairs now has a dedicated Counter-Terrorism and Counter-Radicalization Division, working alongside legal and investigative bodies under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the National Investigation Agency. In July 2025, the Home Ministry issued an advisory to states and prison authorities to promote de-radicalization programs and counseling in prisons, warning that isolation, group dynamics, and lack of supervision can facilitate radicalization.
This new approach emphasizes prevention over punishment, aiming to detect radicalization early, disrupt recruitment before violence occurs, intervene with vulnerable individuals, and build community resilience. The country's experience with communal riots since Partition, including incidents like Ahmedabad in 1969 and the 2002 Gujarat riots, underscores the recurring nature of communal violence, which is not limited to a single community.
The 1984 anti-Sikh massacre and the 2008 Kandhamal violence against Christians highlight the fluidity of communal tensions.
The government's shift also reflects a change in the threat landscape, with terrorist incidents decreasing from 259 in 2018 to just 29 in 2023. This decline is attributed to a broader strategy of dismantling the entire ecosystem supporting terrorism, including recruitment, financing, infiltration, propaganda, and logistics. However, it is crucial to recognize that terrorism is not exclusive to Islam or Muslims; India has also faced terrorism and insurgency from various extremist groups, including Khalistani extremists, Maoists, and northeastern insurgent groups.
While India's Muslim population is significant, it is essential to avoid treating the entire community as a security risk. The Census of 2011 recorded Muslims at about 14.2% of the population, and there is no credible evidence of a coordinated effort among Muslims to increase their numbers through violent means. The government's approach to counter-radicalization must therefore be nuanced and inclusive, recognizing the distinct challenges posed by different extremist ideologies while avoiding the pitfalls of collective blame and identity politics.
Written by urgent.news from Arabian Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
