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India's Internal Security Challenges
Role of external state and non-state actors in creating…… challenges to…. internal security.
INTRODUCTION-
Internal Security Challenges in India, are no more local in nature and has inter- state and nation-wide ramifications.
Internal security' is an important aspect of National Security.
The National Security has …….following main objectives -
-Safeguarding territorial integrity,
-Preserving sovereignty and
-Maintaining domestic peace.
-Maintenance of Law &Order.
-Harmony &Fraternity
In the Arthashastra Kautilya wrote that a state could be at risk from ……four types of threats –
-Internal - External, -Externally-aided internal, and -Internally-aided external.
He advised that of these four types,…. internal threats should be taken care of immediately, which are far more serious than external threats. The most dangerous enemy is the enemy within.
INDIA'S INTERNAL SECURITY PROBLEMS
We can categorise India's Internal Security in following categories –
Problems of Nation Building –
India's …..Multiethnic,… multicultural fabric has been.. adversely affected by the problem of …..unequal development, ….caste tensions and ethnic violence.
This has raised the questions on the process of Nation Building with the development of equal society, as enshrined in the Constitution.
Ethnic Conflicts/ Fundamentalism
Problems of Disputes, Governance and Management- Under this category we can include the following problems:
Kashmir Problem
Insurgency in North-East
Problems of Ideological Differences -
Naxalism … Terrorism
ROLE OF STATE AND NON-STATE ACTORS IN CREATING CHALLENGES TO INTERNAL SECURITY
STATE AND NON-STATE ACTORS
India has been facing challenges on the front of internal security since independence from various state and non-state actors.
External State actors –
A state actor is an individual or entity that is associated with or represents a government or state.
State actors have the formal backing of a sovereign state to carry out their actions.
They play a significant role in various domains, including information control, human rights, government speech, and cybersecurity.
Examples of state actors include:
The Army, Bureaucracy, and Intelligence Services.
"State ACTORS "in world politics are based on the pillars of:
1-sovereignty, 2 recognition of statehood, and 3- the control of territory.
Role of "EXTERNAL STATE ACTORS " in creating challenges to internal security-
1) The state may carry out a " limited war" against Indian state and this might have ramifications for our internal security too
2) EXTERNAL STATE ACTORS might support the various insurgent groups, Naxalites, or separatist groups through funding, training or logistics
3) EXTERNAL STATE ACTORS have been responsible for carrying out a limited cyber warfare through hacking and other espionage .
Non state actors –
NSA have a considerable power of influencing international events but they do not have formal state backing.
Non state actors would be NGOs, civil society organizations, extremist outfits, multinational companies etc.
VARIOUS TYPES OF NSA
• International Governmental Organisations such as NATO, UN etc.
• The International Media
• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as, Amnesty International, Greenpeace etc.
• Civil society.
• Multinational corporations-for-profit organizations that operate in multiple sovereign states.
• Violent non-state actors-Armed groups, including groups such as AI-Qaeda or criminal organizations, for example drug cartels.
• Religious Groups.
• Transnational diaspora communities- Ethnic or national communities that to influence their original and current territories.
These NSAs are not always sympathetic to national interests, but instead are loyal to their group's/ Corporation's/ Community's interests.
ROLE OF NON STATE ACTORS IN CREATING CHALLENGES TO INTERNAL SECURITY
1) Proxy War -Non state actors from the neighboring country have been carrying out a proxy war since decades in order to “bleed India to death”
2) Insurgency - Certain dubious NGOs promote Insurgency and so called civil society organizations also work in a clandestine manner to provoke discontent sections of Indian society which creates internal security issues. Eg- Promotion of Insurgency in NE
3) Fake Currency-Various dubious non state actors run fake… currency rackets and …drug rackets which pose a challenge to the economic and social security of India.
4) Ultra Values/Ethnic Riots -Organized attacks on …..ultural values through media channels, …ethnic tensions due to cross border migrations in north east .
5)Drugs supplies - Inter and Intra state trafficking takes place, through golden crescent and golden triangle routes. Udata Punjab issues in punjab is a great threats to countries internal security.
6) Cyber Security: Recent cyber-attacks by Legion, ATM skimming are examples. Pakistani hackers often hack government websites.
7) Human-trafficking: -Children and women trafficking takes place via Bangladesh and Nepal.
ROLE OF STATE AND NON-STATE ACTORS IN PAKISTAN-
It is evident that there is covert and overt threat from Pakistan to …India’s internal and external security system. India also face huge economic challenges due to the fake currency rackets.
Pakistan is one of India’s main concerns both on external and internal security fronts.
Due to its continued strategic partnership with China, it can stretch Indian armed forces capabilities in the Eastern sector also.
The China-Pak link has given rise to external concerns such as modernization plans of Karakoram highway, development of Gwadar as a naval port and covert assistance in Pakistan’s nuclear and missile program.
Inter-services Intelligence and Pak Military Islamic terrorist groups like the …Al-Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Harkat-ul-Jihad Islami, …Jaish-e-Mohammad, and the Pakistani Taliban along with various other Jehadi Tanjims.
Lashkar-e-Taiba -
Is one of the largest and most active Islamist militant organisations in South Asia, operating mainly from Pakistan.
It was founded in 1987 by Hafiz Saeed, Abdullah Azzam and Zafar Iqbal in Afghanistan, with funding from Osama bin Laden.
Its headquarters near Lahore in Punjab province of Pakistan, and the group operates several training camps in Pakistan-administered Kashmir .
Lashkar-e-Taiba has been accused by India of attacking military and civilian targets in India, most notably are-
-2001 Indian Parliament attack
-2008 Mumbai attacks.
Its stated objective is to introduce an Islamic state in South Asia and to…….. "liberate" Muslims residing in Indian Kashmir.
The organization is banned as a terrorist organization by India,the United States, the United Kingdom the European Union , Russia, Australia , and the United Nations (under the UNSC Resolution 1267 Al-Qaeda Sanctions List).
Hafiz Said M.Masood Azhar
Jaish-e-Mohammed –
Is a Pakistan-based group active in Kashmir.
-Leader is Maulana Masood Azhar
- The group's primary motive is to separate Kashmir from India and merge it into Pakistan.
It also maintained close relations with Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and continues to be allied to them.
Scholars state that JeM was created with the support of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI),
The JeM has been banned in Pakistan since 2002, but resurfaced under other names.
The group was responsible several terror attacks: -
- 2001 Indian Parliament attack,
-2016 Pathankot airbase attack
-2016 Uri attack, and
-2019 Pulwama attack, each of which has had strategic consequences for India–Pakistan relations.
The group has been ………designated as a terrorist organisation by…… Pakistan, Russia, Australia, Canada, India, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the ……United States and the …..United Nations .
Recently, according to union government, the ISI has been trying to revive the Sikh Militancy to perform terrorist attacks in Punjab and other parts of the country.
STATE AND NON-STATE ACTORS IN CHINA
Conventionally, China has provided financial support, arms and sanctuaries to ….Naga, Mizo and Meitei extremist’s right since the British Period.
The military encroachments and conflict of …1962, India was defeated and became psychologically weak. Since then, China has been astutely following a policy of strategic containment of India by regional coalitions and arming India’s neighbours Myanmar, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
As far as internal security is concerned, China’s interest lies in North East as well as the Left Wing Extremism.
The Nagas were the first to approach Beijing, & China made best use of it.
Other groups such as ….MNF(Mizo National Front), …..ULFA, …….PLA (People's Liberation Army of Manipur (PLA),),….. ATTF (All Tripura Tiger Force)and…. NDFB(National Democratic Front of Bodoland ) followed.
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-An ethnic clash between the non-tribal Meitei people(Hindus,Lives in valley) and tribal Kuki people (Lives in forests)erupted on 3 May 2023, in Manipur. The violence killed at least 60 people, and injured at least a further 230. The Meitei (also Meetei, Meithei, Manipuri) people are the majority ethnic group of Manipur, a northeastern state of India. |
USE OF THE INTERNET BY NON-STATE ACTORS
INTRODUCTION
Internet and social media has been a boon to the mankind since it allows us to stay connected with people and allows us to stay updated.
Whereas they are also being used for subversive activities which is increasing lately. As internet has increased its reach and has become very accessible, it is a tool effectively used by non state actors
The Internet has become a dangerous ‘plaything’ in the hands of the many of the new-era terror outfits.
‘cyber-planners’, who will be responsible for planning terror attacks, identifying recruits, act as “virtual coachers”, and provide guidance and encouragement throughout the process.
Radicalization via the Internet has attained a whole new dimension.
Propaganda via the Internet…….Recruitment has become much easier .
Terrorists using bitcoin and online-payment services to fund terrorist activities..
Unethical hacking on private accounts of famous personalities as well as common people.
Cyber war and espionage is affecting the economic and political relationships between nationstates as well as changing the shape of modern warfare.
The recent …Wanna Cry ransomware attack had hit about 150 countries globally, including Russia .
Airport security, including security of the installations to be targeted .
Solutions to maintain Internal security
- Vibrant Internet society –
Effective measures have to be taken by the government to create a Vibrant Internet society, where citizens are now becoming ………"netizens".
- Crack team –
Setting up a ….crack team to respond to ….unusual incidents on a war footing.
-Need of the hour is “hardening” of the security wall.
- Central Information Security Officers –
Appointing ……….Central Information Security Officers apart from creating awareness among people for regarding cyber security .
- All India cyber security service –
In the age of increasing internet usage, an All India cyber security service must be created on the lines of Indian police service.
-Awareness programmes-
Regarding the safe usage of Internet and social media among the people.
-Services of ethical hackers
Training and employing ….ethical hackers… to check vulnerabilities present in the cyberspace .
-The National Intelligence Grid or NATGRID
- The ….National Investigation Agency and the….. National Counter Terrorism Centre are two organisations established in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks of 2008.NATGRID completed in 2020.
Is the…… integrated intelligence grid …..connecting databases of core security agencies of the Government of India to collect comprehensive patterns of intelligence that can be readily accessed by intelligence agencies.
It was first proposed in the aftermath of the….. terrorist attacks on Mumbai in 2008.
The 26/11 attacks on Mumbai led to the exposure of several weaknesses in India's intelligence gathering and action networks.
This combined data will be made available to ……11 central agencies, which are:
- Research and Analysis Wing,…. the Intelligence Bureau,……. Central Bureau of Investigation,…. Financial intelligence unit,….. Central Board of Direct Taxes, ……Directorate of Revenue Intelligence,…. Enforcement Directorate,….. Narcotics Control Bureau, …..Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs .
Unlike the NCTC and the NIA which are central organisations, the NATGRID is essentially a tool that enables security agencies to locate and obtain relevant information on terror suspects from pooled data of various organisations and services in the country.
It will help…. identify, capture and prosecute terrorists and help preempt terrorist plots.
-National Investigation Agency (NIA)
NIA was created after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks as need for a central agency to combat terrorism was realised.
Is a central agency established by the Indian Government to combat terror in India.
It acts as the Central Counter Terrorism Law Enforcement Agency.
The Agency came into existence with the enactment of the National Investigation Agency Act 2008 by the Parliament of India on 31 December 2008.
The CONVICTION RATE of this anti-terrorism agency is currently 95 per cent.
Various Special Courts have been notified by the Central Government of India for trial of the cases registered at various police stations of NIA under Section 11 and 22 of the NIA Act 2008.
Any question as to the jurisdiction of these courts is decided by the Central Government.
These are presided over by a judge appointed by the Central Government on the recommendation of the Chief Justice of the High Court with jurisdiction in that region .
On January 18, 2018, NIA filed a chargesheet against 12 people including Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group chief Hafiz Saeed and Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin.
Feb 2019 agency is investigating the Pulwama attack .
-The National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC)-In the Cold Storage
Is a proposed federal anti-terror agency to be created in India, modelled on the National Counter terrorism Center (NCTC) of the USA.
The proposal arose after the 2008 Mumbai attacks a.k.a. 26/11 attacks where multiple intelligence and operational failures revealed the need for a federal agency in India.
The proposal has however met with much criticism from the Chief Ministers of various states who see this as a means of weakening India's federalism
The NCTC will derive its powers from the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967. It is to be a part of the Intelligence Bureau and will be headed by a Director who will report to the Director IB and the Home Secretary.
- Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS)
CCTNS project was initiated in 2009 which aims at creating a comprehensive and integrated system for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of policing at the Police Station level.
This will be done through adoption of principles of e-Governance, and creation of a nationwide networked infrastructure for evolution of IT-enabled state-of-the-art tracking system around “investigation of crime and detection of criminals”.
CCTNS is a Mission Mode Project (MMP) under the National e-Governance Plan of Govt. of India.
The Project will interconnect about 15000 Police Stations and additional 5000 offices of supervisory police officers across the country and digitize data related to FIR registration, investigation and charge sheets in all Police Stations.
- Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act,(UAPA) 2019-
The amended Act gives the power to the centre to declare individuals/organisations as terrorists if it commits/participates, prepares, promotes, or involves in terrorism.
UAPA has the death penalty and life imprisonment as the highest punishments.
if the investigation is conducted by an officer of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the approval of the Director-General of NIA would be required for seizure of such property.
Salient features of the Amendment
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Under UAPA, 1967 |
2019 Amendment Act |
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1) Who can commit terrorism |
Designation of organization as terrorist. |
Designation of individuals as terrorists. |
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2) Approval for seizure of property by NIA |
Investigating officer is required to obtain approval of DGP. |
When investigating officer is that of NIA, the approval of DG of NIA is sought. |
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3) Investigation by NIA |
Investigation conducted by officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent or Assistant Commissioner of Police and above. |
Investigation conducted by officers of the rank of Inspector and above. |
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4) Insertion to schedule of treaties |
Terrorist acts also include those defined under the treaties listed in the act. A total of nine treaties listed. |
Addition of International Convention for suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (2005). |
UAPA is criticized for its low conviction rate, which is around 2%.
Example- Yaseen Malik is convicted under UAPA.
CYBER ATTACKS
The growth of internet technology and cloud-based systems in the past few years had created room for cyber espionage and warfare.
Nations are electronically connected and everything is in digital form, attracting attacks in cyberspace.
The organized groups, individuals and state sponsored organizations are venturing into this new area of warfare.
India witnessed 13.91 Lakh cyber security incidents in 2022 as per Minister of State for Electronics and Information and Technology.
The year 2022 saw one of the biggest cyberattacks in India wherein the country's premier institution, All India Institute Of Medical Science (AIIMS), was hit by a ransomware attack.
Hackers from Indonesia and Malaysia launch an all-out cyberwar against India following former BJP leader Nupur Sharma’s comments on Prophet Muhammad during a television debate.
India was the most targeted country in 2022 as attacks on government agencies more than doubled.
CloudSek attributed this to an increase in activities of Malaysia-based hacktivist group Dragon Force.
COUNTERFEIT CURRENCIES
Fake/ Counterfeit currency poses a huge security related threats and socio- economic problems. Its impact on general crime on society is serious as more and more educated unemployed youth are attracted towards the counterfeit racket. The menace of Counterfeit currency therefore is also dubbed as 'economic terrorism' confronted by India.
Apparently, it is difficult to distinguish between fake and real currency as counterfeits are now printed with state of the art technology using security paper that is made available only to state actors. This clearly indicates involvement of government agencies in the neighbourhood. Pumping fake currencies is one of the sub-conventional warfare strategies pursued by Pakistan against India, an attempt to subvert the Indian economy and to fund terror networks.
Forceful Demonetization-
Effects on society
Some of the ill-effects that counterfeit money has on society include:
1-There is a reduction in the value of real currency.
2-Increase in prices (inflation) due to more money getting circulated in the economy .
3-Decrease in the acceptability of money . payees may demand electronic transfers / payment in another currency .
How to identify Fake Indian Currency
There are a number of signs that indicate currency is fake. These include:
1-Watermarks that look thick. Counterfeiting gangs commonly apply oil, grease or wax to give the picture a translucent feel.
2-Imitation security threads
3-Figures that are out of alignment. Smaller or bigger number, inadequate gaps .
The Reserve Bank of India has a website called Paisa Bolta Hai (money speaks) for this purpose.
It contains large pictures of all the new Indian notes with detailed descriptions of their security features.
Fake Indian currency notes principally originate from Pakistan, but are smuggled through various routes, in different ways.
The popular routes are via UAE, Nepal and Bangladesh. Fake notes from Dubai are transported through air with the help of bonafide passengers or couriers appointed for the purpose. Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar and Sri Lanka are also used as transit points. International airports in Bangalore, Chennai, Calicut, Cochin, Hyderabad, Mangalore, Mumbai and New Delhi are identified as main landing points of counterfeits from abroad.
Porous and weak land borders respectively with Nepal and Bangladesh are utilised by organized gangs to smuggle counterfeits into India. Fake currency is also sent by land route through infiltrators from Pakistan to India. Through the Bangladesh border as well, fake Indian currency, is being pumped into India via West Bengal. It was being funneled via Delhi to terror groups like Hizbul Mujahideen.
COMMUNALISM
India faces problems of law and order due to caste and ethnic conflicts. Recent Assam violence is an indicator of the same. There are many incidences of communal violence in recent past. There are reports suggest that, financial and ideological support to the domestic extremist organizations is generally sourced from external religious organisations.
DRUG AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING
For the last three decades India has become a transit hub as well as a destination for heroin and hashish produced in the 'Golden Triangle' and the 'Golden Crescent'.
In addition, various psychotropic and pharmaceutical preparations and precursor chemicals produced domestically as well as in various parts of the world are also trafficked through Indian Territory. The two-way illegal flow of these drugs and chemicals not only violates India's borders, but also poses a significant threat to national security.
THE INDIA-PAKISTAN BORDER
The proximity of the India-Pakistan border to the 'Golden Crescent', the largest producer of opium and cannabis in the world, has made it vulnerable to the trafficking of heroin and hashish. Other factors also contributed towards the increased inflow of heroin through the borders.
INDIA-NEPAL BORDER AND INDIA-BHUTAN BORDER
Hashish and marijuana/ganja are the two cannabis derivatives that have been traditionally trafficked from Nepal into India. Lately, a growing demand for Nepalese and Bhutanese cannabis in India and a corresponding demand for codeine based pharmaceutical preparations as well as low-grade heroin in Nepal and Bhutan have resulted in two way smuggling of narcotics and drugs through the India-Nepal and India- Bhutan borders.
THE INDIA-MYANMAR BORDER
Proximity of the India-Myanmar border to the 'Golden Triangle', growing demand for drugs among the local population in the North eastern states, political instability and insecurity brought about by numerous insurgencies in the region as well as a porous and poorly guarded border provided a proliferating environment for traffickers to smuggle heroin and psychotropic substances into the country through the India-Myanmar border..
SEA ROUTES
Both the east and west coasts of India have been major staging points for the smuggling of drugs. In the mid-1990s, the Tamil Nadu-Sri Lanka sector emerged as an important exit route for heroin smuggled in from Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Tuticorin and Kochi have emerged as top drug trafficking centres in the country, others being Mumbai, Varanasi and Tirupur.
Drugs are smuggled out from the shores using small fishing boats. They are then transferred to small islands dotting the south Indian coast, from where they are shipped to Sri Lanka and Maldives.
AIR ROUTES
Major as well as secondary airports in the country are used by the traffickers to smuggle various drugs through personal carriers, postal services, etc.
While Delhi and Mumbai remain the most important airports from where maximum quantities of drugs are seized every year, other airports such as Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Amritsar and Trivandrum have also emerged as important conduits, a fact corroborated by major drug seizures in these places.
The most important air routes for the smuggling of heroin to the international market is the New Delhi-Lagos-Addis Ababa and the Mumbai-Lagos-Addis Ababa air links, which are exploited by Nigerian and other African drug cartels for smuggling heroin out of India and cocaine into India.( Cocaine has been known to be a more addictive substance compared to other drugs, for instance, heroin.
It can kill the user through cardiotoxicity, a certain lethality of the heart. By producing progressive arrhythmias, cocaine can induce a person to immediate death. Heroin’s health effect is more profound on the respiratory system.
It causes respiratory depression, and you end up feeling suffocated. The good thing about heroin is the presence of an antidote for its toxicity ‘“ naloxone.
In the case of cocaine, there’s still no potent antidote available, unfortunately.)
Along with above mentioned .challenges to internal security, the alleged involvement of International NGOs through their funding to domestic NGOs in mobilizing local people against developmental projects, as seen in ongoing agitation against Kudankulam Nuclear power plant, also threatens the Internal peace and security in India.
Therefore in this globalizing era, India being the biggest democracy in the world, faces major challenges to internal security through the external state and Non- state actors.
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Q-The persisting drives of the government for development of large industries in backward areas have resulted in isolating the tribal population and the farmers who face multiple displacements. With Malkangiri and Naxalbari foci, discuss the corrective strategies needed to win the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) doctrine affected citizens back into mainstream of social and economic growth IAS -201 |
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