Foreign-inspired terrorism 'no longer visible' in India, says Home Secretary Govind Mohan
New Delhi: Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan has said that foreign-inspired terrorism has been largely contained in India, barring a few areas, and that homegrown terrorism has almost been eliminated.
Speaking in Hyderabad, Mohan said, "Homegrown terrorism has almost ended, while foreign-inspired terrorism is no longer visible in any other part of the country."
He said militant naxalism had come to an end and that insurgency in the North East had been reduced to "minuscule levels". The remarks reflect the government's own assessment of the internal security situation; the specific data or trends behind the claims were not set out in his address.
Addressing trainees of the Indian Police Service (IPS), the Home Secretary identified narcotics, cybercrime and illegal immigration as key challenges before the service. The three areas have been a recurring focus of the Union Home Ministry, which has in recent years expanded dedicated units and inter-state coordination mechanisms to deal with drug trafficking networks, online financial fraud and the detection of undocumented migration.
Mohan's remarks come as the Centre presses for stronger regional cooperation against terrorism and organised crime. On Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the first Home Ministers' Meeting of BIMSTEC countries in New Delhi, where he asked member nations to strengthen joint action against terrorism, disrupt terrorist financing and prevent terrorist networks from establishing safe havens in the region.
BIMSTEC, or the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, brings together India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
Shah said India follows a policy of "zero tolerance" towards terrorism and stressed the need for collective action to strengthen regional security. "Hosting the first BIMSTEC Home Ministers' Meeting is a matter of great pride and fortune for India. BIMSTEC, in a way, has become an essential platform for regional integration, economic cooperation and collective security. With the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, India is going ahead today," he said.
Reiterating that India has not sought to dominate any country, Shah said, "We have always been committed to peace, coexistence and human welfare. We continue to be committed to these even today. India has never believed in attacking any country or establishing dominance over them. India has always believed in upholding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of every country and peaceful resolution of differences."
The Home Minister said trust among BIMSTEC members had been strengthened by the understanding that each country's security arrangements should contribute to the security of others. He called for a collective commitment to ensure that terrorist networks cannot find shelter, establish bases or training facilities, mobilise resources, or carry out activities against other member countries.
The meeting is the first of its kind under the BIMSTEC framework, which has so far focused largely on trade, connectivity, energy and disaster management. Security cooperation, including intelligence sharing and coordinated action against transnational crime, has emerged as a growing priority for the grouping, whose members share long and often porous borders.
Officials did not announce specific agreements or timelines following the meeting. The Home Secretary's comments in Hyderabad and the Home Minister's remarks in Delhi together set out the government's stated position on the internal and regional security picture, though independent assessments of the trends cited were not immediately available.
