NEW DELHI, Nov 1: National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Friday asserted that terrorism has been effectively contained across India, noting that the country has not witnessed any major terror attack outside Jammu and Kashmir since 2013.
Delivering the Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture on Governance, Doval said the data speaks for itself, highlighting how India has succeeded in neutralising major terror threats that once plagued its hinterland.
“The facts are facts, and they cannot be disputed. Terrorism in this country has been effectively countered. We had a major incident of terrorism on July 1, 2005, and the last one in 2013 in the hinterland,” Doval said.
The NSA underlined that, barring Jammu and Kashmir — which he described as a “theatre of proxy war and covert warfare by Pakistan” — the rest of India has remained largely immune to terror attacks for over a decade.
“Except for Jammu and Kashmir, which had been a theatre of a proxy war or a covert warfare for Pakistan, the whole country has remained secure from terrorist attacks. Efforts were made. People were arrested. Explosives were recovered,” he said.
Doval added that India’s security agencies have successfully thwarted numerous attempts by hostile elements to orchestrate attacks.
“Enemies have remained very active, but fortunately, and it’s more of a good fortune in the country, that we can say we have had no terrorist incident in the hinterland,” the NSA noted.
He also credited the government’s consistent counter-terror strategy and coordination among intelligence and law enforcement agencies for the marked decline in extremist violence, particularly since 2014.
Doval further pointed out a significant reduction in left-wing extremism, an issue that had once gripped large parts of central and eastern India.
The NSA’s remarks come against the backdrop of ongoing national efforts to bolster internal security and counter radicalisation, with the government emphasising zero tolerance toward terrorism.
Doval’s statements also align with recent assessments by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) that reported a steep decline in both terror incidents and casualties in the country over the last decade.
The NSA’s comments were part of his address at the Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture on Governance, where he reflected on the nation’s evolving internal security framework and the pivotal role of strong governance in ensuring stability and peace.
(With inputs from TOI and agencies)
