India kick started its presidency by prioritizing counter terrorism as signature discussion

India has an adamant stand on terrorism and never misses to vocalize it. Current Indian administration is representing staunch enmity against terrorist. With conducting surgical strike and standing straight during Galwan valley clash, Indian administration has supported its actions taken to stop any kind of geographical invasion. Recently, India became president of 15-nation UN Security Council and is about to organize two major events on multilateralism and counter terrorism, which will be chaired by External Affair Minister S. Jaishankar on 14 and 15 December. Before the meeting, United Nations ambassador Ruchira Kamboj who is also India’s permanent representative in a letter said, there is no such thing called good or bad terrorism.

‘The terrorist attacks in New York on September 11, 2001 were a turning point in the global approach to counter terrorism. Since then, London, Mumbai, Paris, many parts of West Asia and Africa have also experienced terrorist attacks’, the letter said. It added that these attacks are universal and destroy peace and security of the world. The concept letter also said, ‘The threat of terrorism is transnational. Terrorist actors and their supporters, facilitators and financiers collaborate while remaining in different jurisdictions to organize acts anywhere in the world. A transnational threat can be defeated only by the collective efforts of all States Members of the United Nations’.

Political expert Neeraj Rastogi called counter terrorism India’s ‘top priority’ and its consequences across the world. He said, ‘India will always stand against terrorism and will urge other countries to do the same until they all unite and eradicate it from the world. India has been through a lot from terrorist attacks, and not just only India, Middle East, Africa, west countries, today each country has such suspects who are spreading terrorism and provoking others to participate in such terrorist activities’. He further added, classification of terrorism acts into ‘good’ and ‘bad’ is only making situation worse and is making difficult to keep an eye on suspects. ‘There is no clarification for bad or good terrorism. Any act of violence or motive to root terrorism should be called openly and strictly. A lawful body does not classify crimes on the basis of caste, religion or good and bad. They are charged with the punishments they have done’, he said.

The concept note emphasized on the threats of terrorism cannot be linked with any nationality, religion, ethnic groups or civilization and that all the acts of terrorism are a criminal offence, according to information. There have been more than 100 terror attacks since 1980 that have killed thousands of people and there are few of them that received no verdict. Northern region of India that covers Jammu and Kashmir is one of the sensitive areas of India where terrorist attacks are common and is an easy way for cross border terrorism. Rastogi told EAT news that Pakistan is a face of terrorism for India from a very long time. He said, ‘India is prone to terrorist attacks from all the corners. Cross border terrorism from west and north, internal terrorism from East (Maoist and Naxalites), from south LTTE. This is why India keeps other countries aware about the possibilities of terrorism and never compromises in country’s security.’

The last terror attack that killed 6 people and injured 4 took place in 2019 June in Kashmir. Terrorists couldn’t be arrested and were fled. Similarly, in February Pulwama attack took place that killed 46 Indian soldiers, later was revenged through air strikes by Indian army on Pakistani militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed. According to Rastogi, current administration has made circumstances tight for terrorists. ‘Since the current administration came into power, their approach towards terrorism is quite open and straight. They are not moving in a circle of only diplomatic talks and global support like before, but are taking actions accordingly. They are fighting against it just like in a matter of violation of nation’s security. In most of the cases, we have seen they have given power to Indian forces to take decisions as per their parameters which becomes a necessity at a point’, he said.

Complaints of always being targeted behind terrorism in India, a particular community feels living in country is no longer safe. Religion dispute has made the conditions worse. However, political expert Rastogi has a different take over the issue. He thinks facts can never lie. ‘Administration is only targeting the suspects and the one who are behind the terrorism. Past statistics disclose that maximum of the terrorist activities are carried by the one who belongs to the community. While nation security has become a top most priority, so does the investigations to stop any kind of terrorist activities’, he said.

Be it America providing military aid to Pakistan or China standing against declaring terrorist to Pakistani militants, India never supported such acts globally. Today when India has become a country with authority, asking to countries to unite against terrorism is what Indian administration wants right now.