Context:
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International Counter Terrorism Conference 2022 was organised by the Global Counter Terrorism Council (GCTC).
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BRICS counter terrorism action plan was adopted in 13th BRICS Summit held in 2021.
Global Counter Terrorism Council (GCTC):
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GCTC is an International Think-Tank Council with an overarching mission of reducing the vulnerability of people worldwide to terrorism by preventing, combating and prosecuting terrorist acts and countering incitement and recruitment to terrorism.
Issues Raised by India:
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Emergence of New Religiophobia:
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Emergence of new “religiophobia”, especially against Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs, is a matter of serious concern and needs to be recognised, just like Christianophobia, Islamophobia and anti-semitism, to bring a balance in discussions on such issues.
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Labelling Terrorism:
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In the past two years, several Member States have been trying to label terrorism into categories such as racially and ethnically motivated violent extremism, violent nationalism, right wing extremism, etc.
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Calling it a “dangerous” tendency, India said this goes against some of the accepted principles agreed to by all UN Member States in the recently adopted Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
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Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy states that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations should be condemned and there cannot be any justification for any act of terrorism, whatsoever.
India’s Efforts to Counter Terrorism:
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India’s Annual Resolution on Counter-Terror:
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India’s annual resolution on the issue of counter-terrorism was adopted by consensus in the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
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Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism:
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Amid growing fears that terrorists will again nest in Afghanistan and increase attacks in Africa, India’s foreign minister has recently urged for the adoption of the convention.
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In 1996, with the objective of providing a comprehensible legal framework to counter terrorism, India proposed to the UNGA the adoption of the “Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism” (CCIT).
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CCIT seeks a universal definition of terrorism, prosecution of terrorists under special laws, making cross-border terrorism an extraditable offence worldwide, among others.
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Financial Action Task Force (FATF):
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India is a member of FATF whose objective is to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.
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Terrorism in India:
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Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act is the primary anti- terrorism law in force in India.
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The National Security Guard (NSG) is a paramilitary force that is primarily responsible for counterterrorism and anti-hijacking operations.
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India faces terrorism from secessionists in Kashmir, the north-east and to an extent in Punjab, from left-wing extremist groups in central, east-central and south-central India.
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India is one of the countries which is most affected by terrorism in the world.
Way Forward:
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War against terrorism is a low intensity conflict or localized war and cannot be waged without the full and unstinted support of the society and can be lost easily if the morale and resolve of the society to fight against terrorism falters.
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For India, there is a need to reassess the policies on a number of issues pertaining to the management of India’s international borders such as intelligence apparatus, internal security and border management.
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Technical solutions are necessary to augment and complement the traditional methods of border guarding.