Internal Security

Development and extremism: Left-wing extremism (LWE)

• Origin: Naxalbari (Darjeeling, West Bengal), 1967, led by Charu Majumdar, Kanu Sanyal and Jangal Santhal. The CPI (Maoist) was formed in 2004 by merging the People's War Group and the MCC.
• "Red corridor": Chhattisgarh (Bastar), Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra (Gadchiroli), Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.
• Root causes:
  • land alienation and displacement by mining and dams;
  • forest rights denied;
  • poverty;
  • weak administration and justice;
  • exploitation by moneylenders and contractors.
• Strategy:
  • Security: CRPF, CoBRA battalions, state forces (Greyhounds in Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand Jaguar), fortified police stations, roads.
  • Development:
    • the SAMADHAN doctrine (2017);
    • the Special Central Assistance and Aspirational Districts programmes;
    • Road Requirement Plans;
    • mobile towers;
    • Eklavya schools.
  • Rights: the Forest Rights Act and PESA.
  • Surrender and rehabilitation policies.
• Trend:
  • Violence fell by more than 70% since 2010.
  • Major operations in Bastar (2024–25) killed top leaders, including the general secretary Basavaraju (May 2025).
  • The Centre's target is to end LWE by 31 March 2026.
• Jharkhand:
  • Saranda forest, Parasnath, Budha Pahar (cleared in 2022), and the Bihar–Jharkhand border districts (Gaya, Aurangabad, Jamui).
  • Splinter groups include the TPC, PLFI and JJMP.

North-East insurgency

• Causes: ethnic identity, the sixth-schedule demands, illegal migration, porous borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh, and difficult terrain.
• Groups and accords:
  • NSCN (IM) framework agreement (2015), still unresolved over a separate flag and constitution;
  • the Bodo Accord (2020);
  • the Karbi Anglong Accord (2021);
  • ULFA (pro-talks faction) peace accord (2023);
  • the Bru–Reang resettlement accord (2020).
• Manipur ethnic violence (from May 2023) between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities. President's Rule was imposed in February 2025.
• AFSPA has been reduced in many areas since 2022. The Free Movement Regime with Myanmar was scrapped and the border is being fenced (2024).

Jammu and Kashmir and terrorism

• Cross-border terrorism sponsored from Pakistan: Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizbul Mujahideen.
• Major attacks:
  • Parliament (2001);
  • Mumbai 26/11 (2008), which led to the creation of the NIA;
  • Pulwama (2019), followed by the Balakot airstrike;
  • Pahalgam (22 April 2025), followed by Operation Sindoor (May 2025).
• Article 370 was made inoperative (August 2019). Assembly elections were held in 2024.
• Laws:
  • UAPA 1967 (the 2019 amendment allows individuals to be designated as terrorists);
  • the NIA Act 2008;
  • the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (2023), which defines terrorism (Section 113).
• New criminal laws, in force from 1 July 2024:
  • the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita replaced the IPC;
  • the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita replaced the CrPC;
  • the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam replaced the Evidence Act.

Communication networks, media and cyber security

• Threats:
  • cyber attacks on critical infrastructure (the AIIMS Delhi ransomware attack, 2022);
  • financial fraud and "digital arrest" scams (Jamtara, Jharkhand, is a known hub);
  • fake news;
  • radicalisation online;
  • deepfakes.
• Framework:
  • the IT Act 2000 (Section 66F, cyber terrorism);
  • CERT-In for incident response;
  • NCIIPC for critical infrastructure;
  • I4C (Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre);
  • the 1930 helpline and cybercrime.gov.in;
  • the National Cyber Security Policy 2013;
  • the DPDP Act 2023.
• Social media: the IT Rules 2021 (due diligence, grievance officers, traceability).

Money laundering and terror financing

• Stages of money laundering: placement, layering and integration.
• Laws and agencies:
  • PMLA 2002, enforced by the Enforcement Directorate;
  • FIU-IND;
  • the Benami Act (amended 2016);
  • the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act 2018.
• FATF: India is a member (2010). Its mutual evaluation (2024) placed India in "regular follow-up", the best category.
• Hawala, crypto-assets (brought under PMLA in 2023) and fake Indian currency notes.

Border management

Border	Length (approx.)	Guarding force
Bangladesh	4,096 km (longest)	BSF
China	3,488 km	ITBP
Pakistan	3,323 km	BSF (and Army on LoC)
Nepal	1,751 km	SSB
Myanmar	1,643 km	Assam Rifles
Bhutan	699 km	SSB
Afghanistan	106 km	—

• Challenges: infiltration, smuggling of cattle, drugs and arms, fake currency, riverine and porous stretches, and drones dropping weapons in Punjab.
• Responses:
  • CIBMS (smart fencing);
  • the Vibrant Villages Programme (2023) for northern border villages;
  • border roads (BRO).
• Organised crime and terror links: drug trafficking from the Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle, arms smuggling, and extortion.

Security forces and agencies

• Central Armed Police Forces (Ministry of Home Affairs):
  • CRPF (internal security, LWE);
  • BSF;
  • ITBP;
  • SSB;
  • CISF (airports, PSUs, Parliament);
  • Assam Rifles (operational control with the Army);
  • NSG (counter-terrorism, "Black Cats").
• Intelligence and investigation:
  • IB (domestic);
  • R&AW (external; Cabinet Secretariat);
  • NTRO (technical);
  • NIA;
  • CBI;
  • the Multi-Agency Centre (intelligence sharing).
• The National Security Council is supported by the National Security Adviser and NSCS.
• The Chief of Defence Staff (2020) and the Department of Military Affairs; theatre commands are being planned.
• Police reforms: Prakash Singh directions (2006) and a Model Police Act. Police is a State List subject.

Exam tip: JPSC and BPSC like questions on LWE in their own states (Saranda, Jamui, Gaya) and on cyber fraud (Jamtara). In UPSC answers, link security to development, governance and technology.