The Politics Of Counterterrorism In India

In the wake of the Mumbai terrorist attacks in November 2008, terrorism and counterterrorism in India became the focus of international, regional and national attention. Here, Prem Mahadevan, by using three case studies of Sikh separatist, Kashmiri separatist and pan-Islamist groups, focuses on the efforts of India's decision-makers and intelligence agencies to create coherent and effective counterterrorism policies and actions. Questioning why Sikh separatist groups have been effectively contained, and yet pan-Islamists have not, Mahadevan draws the conclusion that, due to a gap between the expectations of decision-makers and the capabilities of strategic intelligence agencies, India's ability to prevent terrorist attacks has been undermined. In addition, the role played by Pakistan's intelligence agencies in the border regions is given extensive analytical treatment. Combining a theoretical approach with empirical analysis of India's counterterrorist activities, this book holds valuable information for those examining strategy-making and counterterrorism - practitioners as well as researchers - in addition to those interested in the politics of India.

India and the United States are the world's two largest democracies with distinguished scientific traditions and experts in a wide range of scientific-technical fields. Given these strengths and the ability to learn from one another, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences together with the National Institute for Advanced Studies in Bangalore, India, held a joint Indian-U.S. workshop to identify and examine potential areas for substantive scientific and technical cooperation that can support counterterrorism efforts through the Homeland Security Dialogue and through direct cooperation. India-United States Cooperation on Science and Technology for Countering Terrorism is the summary of that workshop. This report examines topics such as biological threats; protection of nuclear facilities; security (physical and cyber) for chemicals, chemical facilities and other critical infrastructure; and monitoring, surveillance, and emergency response. The report also identifies and examines promising areas for further Indian-U.S. cooperation.

It Presents A New Way Of Thinking About Our Response To The Destructive Potential Of Terrorism. The Contributors To The Volume Approach The Problems Of Terrorism And Political Violence Within A Larger Matrix That Includes The Experience Of South Asia And Europe.

Laws like the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) are enacted to address what the state describes as extraordinary situations and put in place exceptions to the ordinary legal and judicial procedures. By examining public debates surrounding extraordinary laws like POTA and the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) and also specific cases, trials and judgements under the Acts, the author - argues that extraordinary laws have ramifications for people's lives, political institutions, the rule of law and democratic functioning; - shows how such laws assume 'normalcy' and acquire a place of permanence in state practices; and - examines the ways in which such extraordinary laws manifest dominant configurations of political power and ideology. While exploring the unfolding of POTA in specific contexts, the book shows how the law was enmeshed in the politics of Hindutva, electoral and coalition politics, centre-state relations, the politics of repression and reconciliation against nationality struggles, and issues of poverty and development.

Security is undermined worldwide from political dissident activity and acts of terrorism targeted at innocent victims with no relation to the offenders. This political violence and terrorism plagues all continents and does not originate solely from jihadist groups. With a view towards developing more effective measures of prevention and resolution, Examining Political Violence: Studies of Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Internal War examines political violence in various national and international settings. A collection of works, some previously published as articles in the journal Police Practice and Research, the book provides both conceptual analysis and case studies, exploring historical and sociopolitical contexts of conflicts in order to help readers better understand these themes. Divided into three parts, the book begins by defining the concepts of terrorism and radicalization. It discusses countering terrorism through intelligence gathering, examines how a multiagency approach is necessary to be prepared for terrorist acts, and examines different policing models. It discusses the experiences of policing agencies’ investigations into terrorist groups, and examines the targeting of police officers by terrorist groups. Specifying the historical and sociopolitical contexts of conflicts is essential for understanding these themes. Control policies must be grounded in empirical realities, not ideological preferences or aversions. Bringing together theoretical concepts examined through operational and empirical findings, the book is written by academics researching the areas as well as practitioners working in the fields of counterterrorism and political violence. The conclusions drawn from these findings may assist in combating terrorism and political violence around the world.

The Mumbai blasts of 1993, the attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001, Mumbai 26/11—cross-border terrorism has continued unabated. What can India do to motivate Pakistan to do more to prevent such attacks? In the nuclear times that we live in, where a military counter-attack could escalate to destruction beyond imagination, overt warfare is clearly not an option. But since outright peace-making seems similarly infeasible, what combination of coercive pressure and bargaining could lead to peace? The authors provide, for the first time, a comprehensive assessment of the violent and non-violent options available to India for compelling Pakistan to take concrete steps towards curbing terrorism originating in its homeland. They draw on extensive interviews with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, in service and retired, to explore the challenges involved in compellence and to show how non-violent coercion combined with clarity on the economic, social and reputational costs of terrorism can better motivate Pakistan to pacify groups involved in cross-border terrorism. Not War, Not Peace? goes beyond the much discussed theories of nuclear deterrence and counterterrorism strategy to explore a new approach to resolving old conflicts.