Afghanistan

The Taliban almost certainly will remain firmly in control of Afghanistan during the next year and continue to combat ISIS-Khorasan and anti-Taliban resistance groups, though these groups still conduct deadly attacks in country. The Taliban also continues to restrict al-Qa’ida and its affiliates’ activities in accordance with the Taliban’s perception of its Doha Agreement obligations, though some al-Qa’ida elements probably circumvent these restrictions to provide modest covert support to the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan militant group. Low-level Taliban members continue to kill or arrest former Afghan government and military personnel, but senior regime leaders probably are not directing this campaign.

The Taliban has made some progress toward gaining de facto recognition with regional partners, despite persistent concerns about the state of human rights, inclusive representation in government, and militancy in Afghanistan. Iran has met with the Taliban to discuss water rights and threats posed by terrorist groups, particularly ISIS-Khorasan and Jaysh al-Adl.

India is pursuing low-level engagement with the Taliban, focused on humanitarian assistance, countering terrorism, and enabling private sector growth.

• Russia is continuing to deepen its relationship with the Taliban, expressing its intent to formally recognize the government and cooperate against terrorism. In September 2024, the Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson emphasized Russian efforts to remove the Taliban from Russia’s list of terrorist groups and develop multilateral cooperation while blaming the West for instability in the country.

• In January 2024, China’s President Xi accepted the diplomatic credentials of a Taliban- appointed ambassador. The Taliban’s focus on improving internal security and reducing violence has enabled some foreign investments from China, including oil extraction and copper mining activities in Afghanistan.

India

Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi’s defense priorities will probably focus on demonstrating global leadership, countering China, and enhancing New Dehli’s military power. India views China as its primary adversary and Pakistan more an ancillary security problem to be managed, despite cross-border attacks in mid-May by both India’s and Pakistan’s militaries.

• Following a late April terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, New Delhi conducted missile strikes on terrorism-related infrastructure facilities in Pakistan. The missile strike provoked multiple rounds of missile, drone, and loitering munition attacks, and heavy artillery fire, by both militaries from 7 to 10 May. As of 10 May, both militaries had agreed to a full ceasefire.

To counter Chinese influence and boost its global leadership role, India is giving priority to advancing its bilateral defense partnerships in the Indian Ocean region through exercises, training, arms sales, and information sharing. India also has increased trilateral engagement in the Indo-Pacific region and actively participates in multilateral fora such as the Quadrilateral, BRICS, Shanghai Cooperation Organization and ASEAN.

• In late October 2024, India and China reached an agreement to move forces away from the two remaining contested positions along the disputed Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh. The disengagement did not resolve the longstanding dispute about border demarcation but reduced some tension still lingering from a 2020 incident when troops on both sides were killed in a clash along the Line of Actual Control.

India almost certainly will continue promoting its “Made in India” initiative this year to build its domestic defense industry, mitigate supply chain concerns, and modernize its military.

India continued to modernize its military in 2024, conducting a test of the nuclear-capable developmental Agni-I Prime MRBM and the Agni-V multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle while also commissioning its second nuclear-powered submarine to strengthen its nuclear triad and bolster its ability to deter adversaries.

India will maintain its relationship with Russia through 2025 because it views its ties to Russia as important for achieving its economic and defense objectives and sees value in the relationship as a means to offset deepening Russia-China relations. Under Modi, India has reduced its procurement of Russian-origin military equipment but still relies on Russian spare parts to maintain and sustain its large inventory of Russian-origin tanks and fighter aircraft that form the backbone of its military’s ability to counter perceived threats from China and Pakistan.

Pakistan

During the next year, the Pakistani military’s top priorities are likely to remain cross-border skirmishes with regional neighbors, rising attacks by Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan and Baloch nationalist militants, counterterrorism efforts, and nuclear modernization. Despite Pakistan’s daily operations during the past year, militants killed more than 2,500 people in Pakistan in 2024.

• Pakistan regards India as an existential threat and will continue to pursue its military modernization effort, including the development of battlefield nuclear weapons, to offset India’s conventional military advantage.

• Pakistan is modernizing its nuclear arsenal and maintaining the security of its nuclear materials and nuclear command and control. Pakistan almost certainly procures WMD-applicable goods from foreign suppliers and intermediaries.

• Pakistan primarily is a recipient of China’s economic and military largesse, and Pakistani forces conduct multiple combined military exercises every year with China’s PLA, including a new air exercise completed in November 2024. Foreign materials and technology supporting Pakistan’s WMD programs are very likely acquired primarily from suppliers in China, and sometimes are transshipped through Hong Kong, Singapore, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. However, terrorist attacks targeting Chinese workers who support China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects has emerged as a point of friction between the countries; seven Chinese nationals were killed in Pakistan in 2024.

• Pakistan and Iran have taken steps, including high-level meetings, to deescalate tensions after the two countries conducted unilateral airstrikes on each other’s territory in January 2024 in response to cross-border terror attacks.

• In September 2024, Taliban and Pakistani border forces clashed near border posts, resulting in the death of eight Taliban fighters. In March 2025, Pakistan and the Afghanistan exchanged air and artillery strikes on each other’s territory, each citing alleged militant infrastructure as the targets.

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Key Highlights from DIA’s Worldwide Threat Assessment 2025

China’s Strategic Posture:

• Accelerated PLA modernization aims to enable a Taiwan takeover by force if needed.

•  Massive investments in nuclear, space, cyber, and disinformation capabilities.

• Expanding global basing and maritime presence from Cambodia to Africa.

Russia’s War Trajectory:

• Sustained war in Ukraine with incremental gains, high human and material costs.

• Increasing use of cyberattacks, space-based weapons, and destabilization operations across Europe and Africa.

Tech-Driven Threat Evolution: AI, space, cyber, biotech, and unmanned systems are reshaping global conflict and espionage strategies.

Rising Adversarial Coordination: China, Russia, Iran, and NorthKorea are intensifying bilateral military, tech, and diplomatic collaboration to counter U.S. influence.

Hybrid and Asymmetric Warfare: From Iranian proxy strikes to North Korean missile exports and cybercrime, non-traditional threats are expanding in complexity and reach.

Homeland Vulnerabilities: U.S. infrastructure faces growing threats from drones, fentanyl trafficking, cyberattacks, and potential terrorist infiltrations via the southern border.

Global Flashpoints: The Taiwan Strait, South China Sea, Red Sea, and Central Asia remain hotspots for escalation with direct implications for U.S. and allied interests.

Bottom line: The security landscape is defined by hybrid conflict, deepening adversarial ties, and accelerating technology disruption.

Strategic foresight and resilience are no longer optional they’re imperative.

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Notwithstanding statements from mainstream political parties and separatist organisations condemning the violence, many Kashmiri Pandit and Sikh employees abstained from work or took leave temporarily, worried about their security. This is an unfortunate outcome. News reports suggest serious attempts to target businessmen, aimed at sending a message to non-Muslims who have been staying here peacefully for decades. Targeted killings of prominent citizens belonging to the minority communities in the Kashmir valley during October created an atmosphere of panic and fear.

The Resistance Front (TRF), which draws its cadre from the Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the attacks.

In Kashmir, 25 unarmed and innocent people have been killed in a similar pattern this year including off-duty policemen and security personnel on leave. Of them, ten were in Srinagar and four each in Pulwama and Anantnag, with the rest being spread across the valley. Six of the seven killed in October were from the minority community, adding to concerns and triggering debates on migration.

More civilians than security forces’ personnel have been killed in terrorist-related incidents this year in Jammu and Kashmir, reversing a six-year trend, pointing towards concerted efforts by Pakistan-backed Islamist terror groups and handlers to create a communal situation that could trigger an exodus of Hindus and Sikhs.

Despite the intelligence inputs, it is once again proving difficult for the state in Kashmir to provide protection for minorities.
The purpose of these attacks is to draw a response from the state. There can be two responses. The first is a wider and deper combing for terrorists inside Kashmir. The second is to go after groups supported by Pakistan and inside Pakistan.

Enemy Tactics

Pakistan’s ISI has been compelled to devise a new approach. J&K Police describe these targeted shootings as ‘hybrid warfare’, a new approach adopted by militants who according to the police are employing overground workers to kill ‘soft targets.’

This form of killing is gaining ground as, in comparison, known terrorists are identified, located and eliminated at a fast pace. With few successful infiltration attempts, Pakistan-based terrorists are reduced in numbers. With better human intelligence and electronic monitoring their locations are being detected, resulting in successful encounters. With local support waning, Pakistani terrorists are forced into hiding in jungles and hills. Locals who join militant ranks lack training and motivation; hence they have very short life spans once they pick up the gun.

In this changed strategy the weapons employed would change from long range AKs to pistols and grenades.

Current attacks in cities are based either on shooting from close range or throwing grenades on security force pickets or in crowded areas. An added aim is that such incidents could enhance communal divide, initially in the valley, subsequently spreading across the nation. For such operations, the modules created would be small with limited inter-connectivity. In case one is neutralized, others continue. Finally, India cannot blame Pakistan directly as incidents involve locals, mainly Over Ground Workers (OGWs).

Pakistan is exploiting the current Indian security policy in the valley, where security forces hesitate to act arbitrarily, to prevent youth from going astray and joining militant ranks. While crackdown on OGWs continue, there are many who remain below police radars. These are now being employed as killers.

This change in strategy necessitates a change in approach by security forces. The intention should be to locate and break these modules. The first stage must include increased monitoring including enhancing local intelligence networks. Secondly, random patrolling must be increased. Third should be to exploit informational space to convince the public of Pakistan’s designs and also seek inputs on possible suspects with promises of rewards. This needs care as in some cases individuals would pass information based on personal grievances.

Operations in such scenarios are intelligence driven and led by the police with other forces acting on tip offs. Human intelligence will play a critical role.

Every new approach by terrorists succeeds in initial stages. They possess the advantage as they have chosen the direction as also the date, time and place of killing innocents. With passage of time, these networks will be located and broken down.

Reactions from Administration and Society

Beyond the condemnation from the polity, civil society in such situations must take the initiative to foster communal amity and to mobilise people across communities against hatred. Appeals by some masjids in Srinagar requesting the public to show solidarity with the victims and to prevent the furthering of fear among Kashmiri Pandits is a welcome step indicating an intention to not let the situation deteriorate to what happened in the early 1990s.

The UT administration followed up with a strong crackdown on the insurgency seeking to isolate and quell the militant network that is allegedly responsible for the attacks. While the reactions from the polity and civil society and the administrative actions by the Government are necessary, they are not sufficient to restore normalcy in the Valley.

The suspension of the polity with the absence of an elected Assembly, and the stasis and alienation that had set in since the abrogation of J&K’s special status, its bifurcation and designation as a Union Territory would make the job of administration even more difficult. An immediate renewal of political dialogue to address this along with the restoration of Statehood and the complete resumption of political and press freedoms will help create the environment to isolate and tackle terror in the region.

Comments

The security establishment and the civil administration have a huge task on their hand to instil a sense of security and calm. Amid the gloom, the strong condemnation of the brutal acts of violence, cutting across political, religious and ideological lines, is the balm Kashmir needs badly. Kashmir has seen too much blood and tears to allow any repeat of the horrors of the past.
As there is a reset on strategy to hunt down the terror groups and a review of the threat perception of the vulnerable, there is a paramount need to involve political leaders, community representatives and the civil society to ensure communal harmony, and dispel anxieties. A political dialogue — difficult as it surely is after the scrapping of Article 370 and the events that followed — may still be a work in progress, but active engagement can be quite handy in effective public messaging, given the circumstances.

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Pearl, the 38-year-old South Asia bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal, was abducted and beheaded while he was in Pakistan investigating a story in 2002 on the links between the country’s powerful spy agency ISI and al-Qaeda.

Pakistan’s Supreme Court, on 28 January, dismissed appeals against the acquittal of British-born al-Qaeda terrorist Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh in the kidnapping and murder case of Pearl and ordered his release, a judgement denounced by the American journalist’s family as “a complete travesty of justice.” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, during her daily news conference on Thursday, said: “The United States is outraged by the Pakistani Supreme Court’s decision to affirm the acquittals of those responsible for Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl’s kidnapping and brutal murder which shocked the world’s conscience in 2002”.

“This decision to exonerate and release Sheikh and the other suspects is an affront to terrorism victims everywhere, including in Pakistan. We recognise past Pakistani actions to try to hold Mr Pearl’s murderers accountable, and we do note that as of right now, Omar Sheikh remains in detention in Pakistan under national security authorities.

“But we call on the Pakistani government to expeditiously review its legal options including allowing the United States to prosecute for the brutal murder of an American citizen and journalist,” Psaki said in response to a question on the latest development in Pakistan.

Sheikh and his three aides – Fahad Naseem, Sheikh Adil and Salman Saqib – were convicted and sentenced in the abduction and murder case of Pearl in Karachi in 2002.

The United States, she said, is committed to securing justice for Pearl’s family and holding terrorists anywhere accountable for their heinous crimes.

Reacting to the acquittal, US Secretary of State Tony Blinken, in a strongly worded statement, urged Pakistan to explore all legal options to ensure that the killers of Pearl are brought to justice.

“The United States is deeply concerned by the Pakistani Supreme Court’s decision to acquit those involved in Daniel Pearl’s kidnapping and murder and any proposed action to release them,” he said.

Blinken said: “Ahmad Omar Saeed Sheikh was indicted in the United States in 2002 for hostage-taking and conspiracy to commit hostage-taking, resulting in the murder of Pearl, the South Asia Bureau Chief for the Wall Street Journal, as well as the 1994 kidnapping of another United States citizen in India”.

The court’s decision is an affront to terrorism victims everywhere, including in Pakistan, he said.

“We expect the Pakistani government to expeditiously review its legal options to ensure justice is served. We take note of the Attorney General’s statement that he intends to seek review and recall of the decision. We are also prepared to prosecute Sheikh in the United States for his horrific crimes against an American citizen,” Blinken said.

The United States is committed to securing justice for Pearl’s family and holding terrorists accountable, he said.

Pearl’s murder took place three years after Sheikh, along with Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar, was released by India in 1999 and given safe passage to Afghanistan in exchange for the nearly 150 passengers of hijacked Indian Airlines Flight 814.

He was serving a prison term in India for kidnappings of Western tourists in the country.

The beheading of the American journalist in 2002 had grabbed international headlines.

Pakistan Supreme Court ordered that three others, who had been sentenced to life in prison for their part in Pearl’s kidnapping and death, also be freed.

Ruth and Judea Pearl – the parents of Pearl – criticised the judgment that would endanger the lives of journalists everywhere, said Faisal Siddiqi, the Pearl family lawyer.

In April 2020, a two-judge Sindh High Court bench commuted the death sentence of 46-year-old Sheikh to seven years imprisonment. The court also acquitted his three aides who were serving life terms in the case – almost two decades after they were found guilty and jailed.

The Sindh government and family of Pearl filed petitions in the apex court, challenging the high court verdict.

The US has been mounting pressure on Pakistan, demanding justice for Pearl.

Last month, the US said it is ready to take custody of Sheikh, asserting that Washington will not allow him to evade justice.

Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson said the US is deeply concerned by the Pakistani Supreme Court’s ruling affirming the acquittal of individuals convicted by a Pakistani trial court.

“The release of those involved would be an affront to Daniel Pearl’s family, to other terrorism victims around the world, and to the cause of justice,” Wilkinson said.

In a tweet, Congressman Brad Sherman said: “The killers of Daniel Pearl go free. And Dr. Afridi, who helped the US get Osama Bin Laden, rots in jail.” “We are deeply disappointed that Pakistan’s Supreme Court has acquitted and ordered the release of Ahmad Saeed Omar Sheikh, despite overwhelming evidence of Sheikh’s involvement in the kidnapping of Daniel Pearl, which led directly to his murder,” said Steven Butler, Committee to Protect Journalist’s Asia program coordinator.

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The move to place 19 LeT terrorists in the list apparently came following the Paris-based global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog, Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) decision to retain Pakistan on its grey list till February 2021.

ALSO READ: Pakistan’s Lies Nailed at the UN Security Council

Making the information about the 19 most wanted LeTterrorists public for the first time, the FIA says Amjad Khan of Multan was a crew member of LeT for the 26/11 attack (boat Al-Hussaini and boat Al-Fauz).

The FATF made the decision after Islamabad failed to fulfill its six key obligations, including failure to take action against two of India’s most wanted terrorists – Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed and Jaish-e-Mohammed head Masood Azhar.

The security agencies have prepared a list of over 1,200 most wanted/high profile terrorists in Pakistan to enable more coordination among authorities to go after them.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Pakistan’s top investigating agency, has been probing the Mumbai terror attack case since 2009 and is looking for the 19 “most wanted terrorists” involved in the deadly terror assault that sent shockwaves across the country and even brought India and Pakistan to the brink of a war.

In November 2008, 10 LeT terrorists sailed into Mumbai from Karachi and carried out coordinated attacks, killing 166 people and injuring over 300. Nine of the attackers were killed by police while lone survivor Ajmal Kasab was caught and hanged after trial in India. Its mastermind Hafiz Saeed, Lashkar-e-Taiba founder and a UN-designated terrorist whom the US has placed a $10 million bounty on, was arrested on 17 July 2019 is in jail in Lahore, serving a collective over 21-year sentence under terror financing charges. He is not being held in prison but at his Johar Town house in Lahore from where he runs the terror group, according to information available with Indian intelligence agencies.

Saeed-led JuD is the front organisation for the LeT. The LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi has been operating with impunity in the country after securing bail in the Mumbai terror attack case over five years ago.

The other six accused – Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum – who are facing charges of abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the Mumbai attack, are lodged at the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.

The Pakistan government says it has recently introduced a number of fresh legislations to enable security forces to confront terrorist groups more effectively.

The FIA claims that the proceedings have come to halt after India refused to send its 24 witnesses to Pakistan for recording of their statements and other evidence.

Designated Terrorists Under UAPA

The government, on 27 October, declared 18 more Pakistan-based individuals as designated terrorists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, for their involvement in the acts of terrorism on the Indian soil at different periods of time.

The list included the name of Sajid Mir, who was one of the main players in the Mumbai 26/11 attack, and has been described as a Pakistan based LeT’s top commander.

The other prominent names among those designated as terrorists include India’s most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim’s right-hand man, Chhota Shakeel, and the Bhatkal brothers of the Indian Mujahideen.

FATF Mandate

Pakistan’s failure to fulfil six key obligations of the FATF, including action against two of India’s most wanted terrorists Maulana Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed, and the sudden disappearance of more than 4,000 terrorists from its official list led to its continuation in the “grey list” of the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog. The virtual plenary of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), held on 21-23 October, took the final call on Pakistan’s continuation on its grey list after a thorough review of Islamabad’s performance in fulfilling the global commitments and standards in the fight against money laundering and terror financing.

The FATF had given Pakistan a total of 27 action plan obligations for completely checking terror financing of which so far it has cleared 21, but has failed in some of the key tasks. The FATF had issued the action plan after placing Pakistan on the grey list in June 2018. In February, the FATF gave Pakistan a four-month grace period to complete the 27-point plan. It extended the deadline by three months due to the postponement of its plenary following the Covid outbreak.

ALSO READ: Pakistan Going in Reverse Direction

The decision was announced by FATF president Marcus Pleyer after the virtual plenary session. “To date, Pakistan has made progress across all action plan items and has now largely addressed 21 of the 27 action items. As all action plan deadlines have expired, the FATF strongly urges Pakistan to swiftly complete its full action plan by February 2021,” the FATF said in a statement.

Pakistan also needs to work on four areas to “address its strategic deficiencies”, it said. Listing the deficiencies, the FATF said that Pakistan needs to:

•             “Demonstrate that law enforcement agencies are identifying and investigating the widest range of terror financing activity which target designated persons and entities, and those who act on the behalf/direction of the designated persons or entities”.

•             “Demonstrate that terror financing prosecutions result in effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions”.

•             “Demonstrate effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions against all…designated terrorists and those acting for or on their behalf; preventing the raising and moving of funds including in relation to non-profit organisations; identifying and freezing assets; and prohibiting access to funds and financial services”.

•             “Demonstrate enforcement against violation of terror financing sanctions…of administrative and criminal penalties and provincial and federal authorities cooperating on enforcement cases”.

The mandates which Pakistan failed included action against all UN-designated terrorists like JeM chief Azhar, LeT founder Seed and the outfit’s operational commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.

Besides, the FATF strongly noted the fact that there was sudden disappearance of the names of more than 4,000 terrorists from its original list of 7,600 under Schedule IV of its Anti-Terrorism Act.

The four nominating countries – the US, Britain, France and Germany – are also not satisfied with Islamabad’s commitment to taking strong action against the terror groups operating from its soil.

Azhar, Saeed and Lakhvi are most wanted terrorists in India for their involvement in terrorist acts, including the 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes and the bombing of a CRPF bus at Pulwama last year.

In August, Pakistan imposed financial sanctions on 88 banned terror groups and their leaders, including 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

Balakot Terror Camps Reactivated

Even after India’s surgical airstrikes in Bakalot on terror camps in 2019, Pakistan’s notorious spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has resumed training of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists in the area with the aim to launch attacks on Indian soil.

A newly made control room has also been found functional in Balakot camp. The control room is used by JeM and other terror groups to help in the infiltration of terrorists inside India. After crossing the LoC, the handlers of these terrorists constantly instruct them through code words from Pakistan.

MFN Status

India revoked Pakistan’s ‘Most Favoured Nation’ status only after the Pulwama terrorist attack in 2019, by invoking Article 21 of the WTO, which deals with security exceptions, the Domestic Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act that allows it to impose any import restriction. India had granted the MFN status providing non-discriminatory access to its domestic market to Pakistan in 1996 as under the WTO norms, member countries are mandated to give this status to each other on a reciprocal basis. Pakistan, however, never accorded the MFN status to India.

State Sponsor of Terrorism

In the 17th Lok Sabha session, on 19 November 2016, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, an Independent Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, introduced a Private Members’ Bill to declare Pakistan as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. He had promised that after the 18 September 2016 Uri attack. The bill besides officially seeking to declare Pakistan as a hostile, enemy state, also provided for imposing legal, economic and travel sanctions on citizens of the neighbouring country.

Since 1994, when Parliament passed a resolution against Pakistan, it had never passed any resolution against it. Curiously, the Bill didn’t receive an enthusiastic response on the floor of Parliament either. Just four months later, on 10 March 2017, Rajeev Chandrasekhar withdrew his Bill.

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Terrorists Notified Under UAPA on 27 October 2020

Sajid Mir with various aliases is the top LeT commander and was one of the main planners of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

Yusuf Muzammil with various aliases is the commander of LeT operations in Jammu & Kashmir and accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

Abdur Rehman with various aliases is the brother-in-law of Hafiz Saeed – the chief LeT commander and head of LeT political affairs – and served as the head of LeT’s foreign relations department.

Shahid Mehmood, alias Shahid Mehmood Rehmatullah, is the deputy chief of proscribed organisation Falah-i-lnsaniyat Foundation (FIF), a frontal organisation of terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Farhatullah Ghori, with various aliases, was involved in the attack on Akshardham Temple (2002) and suicide attack on the Task Force office in Hyderabad (2005).

Abdul Rauf Asghar, with various aliases, was involved in setting up of training camps in Pakistan for recruitment and militant training and was the key conspirator in the terrorist attack (December 13, 2001) on the Indian Parliament House, New Delhi.

Ibrahim Athar, with various aliases, was involved in the hijacking of the Indian Airlines flight no. lC-814 on December 24, 1999, (Kandhar hijacking case) and was also the key conspirator in the Indian Parliament terrorist attack (December 13, 2001).

Yusuf Azhar, with various aliases, was involved in the hijacking of the Indian Airlines flight no. lC-814 on December 24, 1999 (Kandhar hijacking case).

Shahid Latif, with various aliases, is the JeM’s commander of the Sialkot sector and was involved in the launching of JeM terrorists into India. He is also involved in planning, facilitation and execution of terror attacks in India.

Syed Mohammad Yusuf Shah, with various aliases, is the supreme commander of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) and the chairman of the United Jihad Council (UJC). He was involved in fundraising and routing finances to India for the furtherance of terrorist activities by the HM cadres.

Ghulam Nabi Khan, with various aliases, is the deputy supreme of the Hizb-ul Mujahideen (HM).

Zaffar Hussain Bhat, with various aliases, is the deputy chief of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and also handles financial affairs of the terrorist organisation. He was responsible for sending funds for the HM operatives in Kashmir Valley.

Riyaz Ismail Shahbandri, with various aliases, is the founder member of terrorist organisation Indian Mujahideen. He was involved in various terrorist acts in India, including German Bakery (2010), Chinnaswami Stadium, Bangalore (2010), Jama Masjid (2010), Sheetlaghat (2010) and Mumbai (2011).

Mohd Iqbal, with various aliases, is the Pakistan based co-founder of the terrorist organisation Indian Mujahideen. He was involved in terror financing and various terrorist acts, including Jaipur serial blasts (2008), Delhi serial blasts (2008), serial blasts of Ahmedabad and Surat (2008), German bakery blast, Pune (2010) and Chinnaswami Stadium, Bengaluru blasts (2010).

Shaikh Shakeel, alaisChhota Shakeel, is the associate of Dawood Ibrahim and looks after all criminal and underworld operations of the D-Company. He also handles the finances of the D-Company operatives of India. He was involved in the smuggling of firearms to Gujarat during 1993.

Mohammad Anis Shaikh was involved in the Bombay bomb blast 1993 and is also responsible for the supply of arms, ammunition and hand grenades.

Ibrahim Memon, alias Tiger Memon, and other names, hatched the criminal conspiracy of the Bombay bomb blast.

JavedChikna, alaisJaved Dawood Tailor, is the associate of Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar and was involved in the Bombay bomb blast of 1993.

The post Pakistan Continues to Support Terrorists 12 Years After 26/11 appeared first on IMR.

The appointment of Salbi as Baghdadi’s official successor and Nasser Qardash’s confession during his interrogation at the hands of the Iraqi authorities, however, reveal numerous details regarding ISIS’ current and future strategy after the loss of its physical caliphate in the Middle East in March 2019. As the world and India reel from coronavirus, post-Baghdadi ISIS has spent its time quietly regrouping and re-strategising its comeback. This will have major security-related and geostrategic consequences for India, especially given the added blow dealt by Cyclone Amphan in Bengal and the looming threat of resurgent Pakistani Inter-Serrvices Intelligence (ISI)-sponsored terrorism in Kashmir – the so-called ‘The Resistance Front’ (TRF) attempting to pick up the pieces of the Pakistan-sponsored jihadist movement in the Valley.

Growing non-Arab and ISIS’ Focus on Kashmir and Bengal

Salbi’s appointment itself came as a surprise, given his ethnic background – which also provides clues regarding the Islamic State’s implied focus on acquiring influence in regions such as India, which lie beyond the Arab world. Despite US President Donald Trump’s tweet in November 2019, claiming that he had received information regarding Baghdadi’s new successor, it was only in January 2020, when Western and regional espionage efforts identified Salbi, an ethnic Turkmen hailing from the town of Tal Afar in northern Iraq as the new leader of ISIS. The appointment of a non-Arab to a position of such stature is as significant as it is unprecedented. Global jihadist organisations, such as ISIS, have often been believed to use radicalised non-Arab Muslims as foot-soldiers, with ethnic Arabs usually holding the most important positions. A 2015 report by Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) pointed out that Chinese, African and South Asian ISIS fighters in the erstwhile ‘caliphate’ faced discrimination by the predominantly Arab ISIS Police Force, or the hisbah. Divisions exist even within the ethnic Arabs in such terrorist organisations, with the CIA predicting in the immediate aftermath of Osama Bin Laden’s death that his successor, Ayman al-Zawahiri as a North African Arab, “would have difficulty maintaining the loyalty of Al-Qaeda’s Gulf Arab followers.”

The appointment of a non-Arab like Salbi, therefore, indicates that ISIS after Baghdadi is willing to take unprecedented and unexpected steps to rebuild. More importantly, however, the appointment of a non-Arab as ISIS’ new leader indicates that the terrorist organization will now renew its focus on non-Arab parts of the Muslim world, which includes India. Thus, the symbolism of Salbi’s appointment as the new emir of the so-called caliphate should not be understated as ISIS attempts to expand its influence beyond the Middle East with a key focus on India. The attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) patrol party in Anantnag by the Islamic State (IS) in Jammu & Kashmir (ISJK) in April 2020 should, therefore, be read in the above context of the Turkmen Salbi leading ISIS into the 2020.

ISIS’ deepened interest in India, however, predates Salbi’s leadership, with radicalised young Indian Muslims travelling to Iraq and Syria to fight for the erstwhile caliphate as early as 2014/15. ISIS’ establishment of wilayahs in West Bengal, Bangladesh and Kashmir in May 2019 came just two months after the loss of its physical territory in March 2019 and a month after the horrific Easter attacks in Sri Lanka by its affiliate there. Such developments highlight that ISIS will target Indians in its quest to prove that it remains a serious player in the global jihadist arena, especially as it focuses efforts on deepening domestic networks in the country. It is also worth noting that just a day after Trump’s tweet on ISIS’ new leader on 1 November 2019, ISIS’ Bangladesh wilayat pledged allegiance to Salbi – among the first of ISIS’ international wilayats to do so. This is deeply significant, given that the wilayat also includes the Indian state of West Bengal. It further underscores post-Baghdadi ISIS’ increased interest in the Indian subcontinent as an area to expand in and its targeting of West Bengal to make headway into India’s heartland. This strategy may be achieved through alliances with local jihadist groups like Jamaat ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

Salbi’s Desperation on India

Yet, the symbolism of Salbi’s appointment obscures his deeper psychological worry regarding his new position – his desperation.

Having succeeded al-Baghdadi, who had led the Islamic State since 2010, Salbi has a large power vacuum to fill. His aforementioned non-Arab ethnicity may also play a role in fuelling his desperation to achieve large-scale, television-worthy attacks to bolster his image as a suitable successor to Baghdadi as he seeks to bring the predominantly Arab leadership of ISIS under his direct control. However, this is easier said than done. 2019 saw ISIS lose its physical caliphate in the Middle East as well as much of the infrastructure required for such large-scale attacks following Baghdadi’s death. Hence, ISIS has attempted to play up lone-wolf attacks after Salbi’s takeover. The London Bridge stabbings in November 2019, perpetrated by a home-grown terrorist with roots in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the Streatham stabbings in South London in February 2020, followed by the attacks on boats belonging to the Maldivian Navy in April 2020 were all incidents for which ISIS claimed responsibility. However, these have all been fairly low-intensity attacks compared to the carnage that ISIS was known for causing in major cities during its heyday, from the 2015 Paris attacks to the 2016 Brussels airport bombing and the 2017 Manchester arena suicide attack. Salbi’saforementioned desperation to prove himself is coupled with his growing interest in the Indian subcontinent as an area of expansion.

A recurring characteristic of most famous terrorist leaders in the modern age has been their ability to carry out large-scale attacks that gain media attention whenever they seek to establish their outfit’s name on the global arena. Prior to 9/11 and just days after he declared his famous 1998 fatwa against the USA, Osama Bin Laden’s Al Qaeda carried out a bomb blast at the US embassies in Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam. Salbi has not done so in the months after his appointment – and given his aforementioned complex regarding his position and the murmurs against him in the Arab ranks of the Islamic State’s leadership – he is looking for an opportunity to establish himself as an appropriate or even greater successor to Baghdadi, on the same level as him and Bin Laden.

The lone-wolf attacks that ISIS has sponsored or carried out also provide inkling regarding ISIS targets in India or Indian national interests. The fact that the London Bridge attacker Usman Khan was of Pakistani-origin and had at one time planned to achieve ‘first-hand’ experience in conducting terror attacks in Kashmir before setting up a madrassa in PoK, helps provide a glimpse of ISIS’ plans to foment terror in post-Article 370 and 35A Kashmir. ISIS’ attack on naval boats in the Maldives is also extremely relevant to Indian national security. The attacks on naval boats are ISIS’ signal to India and China too – both nations are vying for naval influence in the Maldives. Furthermore, given the Maldives’ proximity to Lakshadweep, which ISIS had attempted infiltrating from Sri Lanka in May 2019, it is crucial that South Block consider any ISIS activity in Maldives from a national security perspective.

More recently, ISIS attempted to exploit communal rioting and civil unrest in India to attempt establishing a foothold in the country. In February 2020, ISIS, specifically its sub-unit the Islamic State in the Khorasan Province (ISKP), which operates in Afghanistan and South and Central Asia began circulating cherry-picked images of the Northeast Delhi riots to instigate communal tension in the country and widen its recruitment pool. The next month, in its second issue of Voice of Hind, ISKP attempted to continue fanning the flames of communal tension by calling for lone-wolf attacks on policemen and Indian Army officers using “vehicle attacks, knife and axe attacks, arson and poisoning.” This highlights two issues. One, that ISIS under Salbi has firmly targeted India as its next base of operations. Two, that Salbi’s above mentioned desperation, which had earlier translated into lone-wolf attacks in the UK and the Maldives, will soon manifest in India as a result of this desperation. Delhi Police’s arrest of an ISKP-linked Kashmiri couple who had been instigating the riots in February underscores the fact that ISIS aims to use domestic unrest in India as a tool to grow in strength.

Ramifications of the Central Asian Connection

As an embattled and humiliated US withdraws from the wastes of Afghanistan, it leaves ISIS with an opening to expand its influence in Central Asia. Expansion into Central Asia, which ISIS had already achieved to a certain extent under Baghdadi, was forecast to accelerate under Salbi, who himself is of Central Asian ethnicity (Turkmen). This has major security repercussions for India, since Central Asia is India’s opening into Afghanistan and Pakistan, and provides a key source of fighters for the ISI-backed Afghan Taliban.

The ISKP-sponsored attacks in Tajikistan, in particular, are of concern. Among the first ISIS-sponsored attacks under Salbi’s leadership took place in Tajikistan in November 2019, with an ambush on a Tajik checkpoint on the country’s border with Uzbekistan. The location of the attack holds particular significance. The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, an ISKP-affiliate, provides ISIS with fighters to use in Afghanistan and Pakistan – the attack was hence a signal to the Uzbek government that Tajikistan was being looked at as a base for ISIS movements targeting the Central Asian heartland in Uzbekistan.

This is particularly worrying from an Indian perspective. Tajikistan is home to Farkhor Air Base, India’s only overseas military base. Given its history of providing anti-Islamist fighters in neighbouring Afghanistan with shelter and medical aid in the 1990s (the Indian Air Force medical facility at Farkhorwas where Ahmad Shah Massoud, the ‘Lion of Panjshir’ and the leader of the anti-Taliban Northern Front breathed his last in 2001) and coupled with ISKP’s above mentioned encouragement of attacks on Indian military installations, the Farkhor Air Base will most probably become a key target of attack by the ISIS in the near future. Hence, our political leadership and the MEA must start formulating steps to protect Indian soldiers and military infrastructure on the base at the moment.

The post Revival of ISIS and Security Implications For India (Part 1) appeared first on IMR.

Handwara Operation

In the Army’s best traditions, Colonel Ashutosh Sharma, a decorated commanding officer of a Rashtriya Rifles battalion, along with company commander Maj Anuj Sood, two other soldiers and a policeman laid down their lives in a fierce encounter with terrorists at Chanjimulla area of Handwara in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on 2 May.

Two terrorists were killed in the encounter, one of whom was identified as top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Haidar alias Iqbal, a resident of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. They were part of a large group of Pakistani infiltrators who had sneaked into Kashmir through the Wadarbala-Rajwara forests in Kupwara in April. Col Sharma and his team reached the site after receiving reports that civilians were being held hostage in a house by terrorists. The Army officers were leading a team to rescue civilians who had been taken hostage by the terrorists.

Kishtwar Encounter

In a gunfight in Kishtwar district, on 17 April, two militants were slain. They had killed a Special Police Officer and injured another near Dacchan a week earlier, before decamping with their weapons. The weapons were recovered after the encounter near Sounder village.

In another encounter at Dairoo village in South Kashmir’s Shopian the same day two militans killed. 

Keran Gunfight

The Army suffered its biggest casualties in a day since the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammau & Kashmir (J&K), on 5 April. It was foiling an infiltration bid at a high-altitude pass on the Line of Control (LoC) at Shalbatoo, in the Jumgund area of the Keran sector in Kupwara in north Kashmir, in tough terrain and bad weather.

Five members of the elite para unit – 4 Para – and five militants were killed in the fierce hand-to-hand combat and gunfight in the snowbound Ringdori forest area of Keran, 120 km from Srinagar. The unit took part in the 2016 cross-LoC surgical strikes in the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The special forces troopers, who had been air dropped near the LoC after information on the infiltrators was received, were found just six feet away from the terrorists, who they eliminated in an intense battle when the search party found them . They had infiltrated across the LoC from Qasim-II post in PoK and were headed to the Gulab Post on the Indian side.

At least three of the five terrorists gunned down on April 5 in the Keran sector belonged to Jammu & Kashmir and had gone across the border to Pakistan for training in 2018. Five AK-47 rifles, grenades, and GPS and wireless sets were recovered from the encounter site.

Kulgam Gunfight

A day earlier, on 4 April, four terrorists of Hizbul Mujahideen (HuM) responsible for killing several civilians were shot dead by security forces in a shootout in Kulgam district of Jammu & Kashmir. Two soldiers of the Indian Army were also injured in the encounter, which took place in Hardmand Guri village of Kulgam. The house in which the terrorists were held up was demolished.

Army’s Response

The army responded to the unprovoked ceasefire violation and the killing of Special Forces commandos, on 10 April, by targeting Pakistani positions across the LoC in the Keran sector with artillery guns and caused severe damage to posts, terror launch pads and an ammunition dump in PoK.

A 48-second video clip released showed heavy and precision artillery blasting some positions, including an ammunition dump that was seen exploding in a huge ball of fire. It was a message to Pakistan that nothing goes unpunished.

The assault on terror launch pads at Dudhnial facing the Keran sector killed eight terrorists and 15 Pakistan Army soldiers. There was an effort to camouflage the extent of the casualties on the Pakistani side.

It was from Dudhnial that the five terrorists neutralised by the Indian Army special forces in the Keran sector on April 5 had been launched.

The Indian Army had no option since credible information suggested that nearly 160 terrorists of mixed tanzeems – LeT, Jaish e Mohammed and HuM – were waiting in the area to infiltrate into Kashmir.

At least one terror launch pad, among other targets, was apparently “completely destroyed” in the firing by the Indian Army, which used 105mm field guns as well as 155mm Bofors howitzers.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh, on 19 April, said the Indian Army was carrying out “targeted strikes” on terror launch pads along the LoC in Jammu & Kashmir and eliminating the Pakistani infiltrators before they crossed over to the Indian side.

“As you would have gathered from the operations along the LoC in the last two weeks, we are dominating the enemy through targeted intelligence based strikes on their launch pads and eliminating them before they set foot on Indian soil,” Singh said.

Comments

Dispite the coronavirus (Covid-19) panedemic spreading in Pakistan, there has been a spike in incidents across the LoC suggested that the operations to foment trouble in Kashmir – by first radicalising locals in Valley; then getting them to cross over for weapons training with terror groups such as the LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed and HM; and then sending them back to wage war in India. There were attempts to smuggle assault rifles across LoC to supply to foreign and local terrorists in the Valley. Other moves which include propping up smaller indigenous armed groups, were linked with retaliation against India for the August 2019 nullification of Article 370.

Pakistan often resorts to ceasefire violations to push militants into the Indian side. Indian troops have also been retaliating to Pakistani actions under its policy of hot pursuit.

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The FATF meeting was held a week after an anti-terrorism court in Pakistan sentenced Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attack and founder of the LeT, to 11 years in two terror financing cases.

Pakistan should demonstrate that law enforcement agencies (LEAs) are identifying and investigating the widest range of terror funding activities and that terror funding investigations and prosecutions target designated persons and entities, and those acting on behalf or at the direction of the designated persons or entities and demonstrate effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions against all UN-designated terrorists and those acting for or on their behalf, including preventing the raising and moving of funds, identifying and freezing assets and prohibiting access to funds and financial services, the FATF said.

The FATF Plenary noted that till now, Pakistan has largely addressed 14 of 27 action items, with varying levels of progress made on the rest of the action plan. It strongly directed Pakistan to swiftly complete its full action plan by June 2020. Failure to take steps towards prosecuting and penalising terror funding by the next plenary, the FATF will take action, which could include the FATF calling on its members and urging all jurisdictions to advise their financial institutions to give special attention to business relations and transactions with Pakistan.

Grey List

The grey list categorisation means that the so-called improvement in Islamabad’s attitude on terrorism was being noted, but clearly it was far from enough. The improvement essentially lay in the Pakistan government taking over scores of seminaries that preach the terrorism gospel. FATF called for further action to show Pakistan’s commitment to deal with terror funding and money-laundering for terrorist purposes.

The United States was instrumental in the “grey listing” of Pakistan in June 2018 by the 39-member FATF, overriding stiff resistance from China and Turkey, two of Pakistan’s close allies. Islamabad has been since working on implementing a list of conditions laid down by the watchdog to avoid being bumped up to the blacklist, and, under the most optimistic circumstances, be taken off the grey list altogether.

The FATF

The FATF is a Paris-based international watchdog established in 1989 to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system. It currently has 39 members, including two regional organisations – the European Commission and the Gulf Cooperation Council. India is a member of the FATF consultations and its Asia Pacific Group

India’s Efforts

Although, Pakistan is believed to have received strong backing from Malaysia, it failed to impress western nations due to India’s consistent efforts by providing materials and evidence on Pakistan’s inaction to check funding to terror groups operating from its soil.

Indian diplomatic channel saw it as a victory for them. The plenary noted that Pakistan addressed only a few of the 27 tasks given to it in controlling funding to terror groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and the Hizbul Mujahideen, which are responsible for a series of attacks in India. India has been maintaining that Pakistan extends regular support to terror groups like the LeT, the JeM and the Hizbul Mujahideen, whose prime target is India, and has urged the FATF to take action against Islamabad.

India has been maintaining that Pakistan extends regular support to terror groups like the LeT, the JeM and the Hizbul Mujahideen, whose prime target is India, and has urged the FATF to take action against Islamabad.

Next Course of Action

Pakistan was placed on the ‘Grey List’ by the FATF in June 2018 and was given a plan of action to complete by October 2019 or face the risk of being placed on the ‘Black List’.

In October 2019, FATF did not blackball Pakistan altogether on the terrorism question, placing Islamabad on its “grey” list for a period of another four months till February 2020. Again, at the February 2020 Plenary, the FATF gave an extension of four months to Pakistan to act against organisations involved in terror financing. This was leniency being shown since FATF is currently being chaired by China, which is known to be Pakistan’s all weather ally.

Pakistan’s Cosmetic Steps

An anti-terror court in Lahore in February 2020 sentenced Hafiz Saeed, founder-chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawa, the mother outfit of Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, and an associate to 11 years of rigorous imprisonment on two counts of terror funding and money-laundering, indicating that it was observing the letter of FATF’s instructions. Saeed, a UN designated terrorist on whom the US has placed a $10 million bounty, was arrested on July 17, 2019, in the terror financing cases.This 69-year-old head of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), and an aide, were both given five-and-a-half year jail terms in two cases of terror financing by an anti-terrorism court in Lahore.

With the FATF threat looming, a court has meted out punishment, at least for the record. Although, years of diplomatic demands by India to proceed against the terrorist mastermind over the Mumbai 26/11 attacks of 2008, in which 166 persons were killed, had produced no results as the Pakistani courts always found the evidence insufficient. This time the Pakistani judiciary was quick in giving its ruling as a negative FATF recommendation could imperil the 2019 IMF bailout package of $6 billion and the economic reforms tied to it.

Whether the rigorous imprisonment meted out to Saeed (LeT) is observed seriously is moot, considering it is Pakistan, where all state agencies are believed to be compromised,  although Saeed has been declared a “global terrorist” by the UN and the US.

Further, the trial of seven people, including LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, has floundered in a Pakistani anti-terrorism court for more than a decade with no visible results. Lakhvi was released on bail in April 2015 and his current whereabouts are not known.Pakistani officials have said the trial has not progressed because more evidence and information is required from India, but this claim has been rejected by Indian authorities

On Azhar, Pakistan has told FATF that it could not file an FIR against him since he could not be “found”. However, it is believed that Azhar is in the protective custody of the Pakistan government since 2016 but such reports were not confirmed by authorities. However, he used to release audio messages for his supporters. After Pulwama, he never released any video or audio message and the government also avoided speaking about him and his whereabouts. Since March 2019, government sources claimed several times that he had gone missing

Comments

With Pakistan’s continuation in the ‘Grey List’, it will be difficult for the country to get financial aid from the IMF, the World Bank, the ADB and the European Union, thus further enhancing problems for the nation which is in a precarious economic situation

If Pakistan fails to comply with the FATF directive, there is every possibility that the global body may put the country in the ‘Black List’ along with North Korea and Iran.

Although, FATF has been successful in putting pressure on Pakistan in taking actions to stop terror funding but certain key aspects are left unaddressed.

That being stated, it is in Pakistan’s national interest to prevent it from getting blacklisted. The latter would mean an embargo on all possible international aid it is scheduled to receive and which prove to be detrimental to its economy.

The post Pakistan : Pakistan to Continue on FATF’s Grey List appeared first on IMR.

He also said the Army will enhance combat capabilities along the border with China so that it is fully prepared to deal with any security challenge. “The threat remains from both northern and western sides. Over the last many years, we have been concentrating on our western borders while our northern border was at a little lower in priority. There was a need to rebalance and reprioritise,” he said.

Giving a detailed brief on India’s security challenges, including combating cross-border terrorism, Gen Naravane said a strategy of “resolute punitive response” was put in place to deal with Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, noting that the policy of “zero tolerance” will continue to drive counter-terror measures.

“If Pakistan does not stop its policy of state-sponsored terrorism, we reserve the right to preemptively strike at the sources of terror threat and this intent has adequately been demonstrated in our response during surgical strikes and Balakot operation,” the Army Chief said.

“A new normal in our response mechanism has been emphatically underlined,” he added.

Talking about the situation in Kashmir, Gen Naravane said it has improved significantly after abrogation of Article 370. “Incidents of violence are coming down. The terrorists-initiated actions have come down. There is no doubt that there is a lot of improvement,” he said.

“However, the problem remains. It has not gone away. So, we will always be ready whatever measures are required to deal with the challenges there,” he said.

Pak-sponsored Terrorism

“We are better prepared,” said Naravane, adding that the Army is “fully prepared to meet any eventuality” along the volatile Line of Control with Pakistan, which has witnessed as many as 3,200 ceasefire violations this year to beat all annual records since 2003.

“Our neighbour uses terrorism as tool of state policy, as a way of carrying out proxy war against us, while maintaining deniability. However, this state can’t last long. As they say, you can’t fool all the people, all the time,” Naravane said.

Gen Naravane said the Pakistan Army’s “all out efforts” to deflect attention from state-sponsored terrorism has been a total failure and that its proxy war design has received a major setback due to elimination of terrorists and decimation of terror networks by Indian forces. “Multiple options across the spectrum of conflict are on the table to respond to any act of terror sponsored or abetted by Pakistan,” he said.

Gen Naravane said Pakistan tried to draw global attention following India’s decision to reorganise Jammu and Kashmir, but its efforts did not get any traction.

There has been “a definite improvement” in the internal security situation in J&K after the abrogation of Article 370, with the “proxy war” being waged from across the border suffering a major setback due to elimination of terrorists and terror networks. “The incidents of violence in J&K have seen a marked decline, this augurs very well for population of J&K. It’s a step forward towards bringing peace and prosperity to the region,” he said.

Referring to the rising number of ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC), he said it is being done to keep alive the Kashmir issue.

India-China Border

On security challenges along the 3,500-km border with China, Gen Naravane said: “We will continue to improve capability building along the northern border so we are prepared when the need arises.”

Modernisation

According to Gen Naravane, the bottomline for reforms in the Army will be to increase efficiency and operational readiness. “Modernisation is a continuous process. Whatever we are doing, the start point is to increase efficiency and operational readiness,” he said.

On the CDS

The new chief said the appointment of the CDS would significantly transform the way the military operates and bring about important tri-services reforms.

The appointment of Gen Bipin Rawat as India’s first chief of defence staff (CDS) is seen as the most significant change in top military management in the country and would require the CDS to strike a delicate balance with the three chiefs to strengthen cross-service cooperation and build consensus.

Gen MM Naravane, Chief of the Army Staff

Gen MM Naravane did his schooling at Dnyan Prabodhinee Prashala, Pune. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy, he was commissioned into the 7th Battalion, The Sikh Light Infantry Regiment, in June 1980. He is an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and Higher Command Course, Mhow. He holds a Master’s Degree in Defence Studies, M. Phil Degree in Defence and Management Studies and is currently pursuing a Doctorate degree.

In a distinguished military career spanning almost four decades, Gen Naravane has the distinction numerous command and staff appointments in peace and field areas both in the North East and Jammu & Kashmir and has been part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka during ‘Operation Pawan’.

He has commanded 2nd Battalion, Rashtriya Rifles (Sikh Light Infantry), 106 Infantry Brigade, Inspector General Assam Rifles (North) at Kohima, Nagaland and 2 Corps. On staff, he was a Brigade Major of an Infantry Brigade, Assistant Adjutant & Quartermaster General (AA&QMG) of HQ Establishment No 22, Defence Attache at Yangon, Myanmar, an instructor in the Army War College as Directing Staff in the Higher Command Wing, besides serving two tenures at the Army HQ.

Gen Naravane commanded the Republic Day Parade in 2017 as General Officer Commanding (GOC) Delhi Area. After successfully commanding the Army Training Command, Shimla, he took over as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of Eastern Command on 1 October 2018. He took over as the 28th Chjief pof the Army Staff on 31 December and will serve for two years and four months.

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