Comprehensive Notes on Internal Security and National Security

Basics of Security

Foundational Perspective: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel stated, "The first requirement in the country was external and internal security. You cannot have any plan unless there is security."
National Security Definition: According to the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), it is an all-encompassing term including the protection of a nation (territory, resources, assets, institutions, ideologies, and interests) and its citizens from multi-dimensional threats and coercion.
Internal Security: The act of preserving the unity and integrity of the state and maintaining law and order within a country's borders. Examples of threats include:
- Separatist/Secessionist tendencies: Naxalism, Dravida Nadu.
- Communal activities: Khalistan Movement.
External Security: Protection against threats from foreign countries, such as War, Terrorism, and Cybercriminals. Responsibility lies with the Armed Forces, overseen by the Ministry of Defence.
Interlinkage: Distinguishing between internal and external risks is difficult as they overlap. For example, foreign support for terrorism in J&K or disinformation campaigns destabilizes internal security.
Comparative Table of Security Aspects:
- Internal Security: Location is within boundaries (civil unrest, organized crime); responsibility lies with domestic agencies (Police, Intelligence Bureau, CAPF); oversight by Ministry of Home Affairs.
- External Security: Location is outside borders (military aggression, border disputes); responsibility lies with Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force; oversight by Ministry of Defence.
Components of National Security:
- Military Elements: Armed Forces (defending borders), Intelligence Gathering (RAW), and Defense Industry (Defense Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu).
- Non-Military Elements: diplomacy (India-US Strategic Partnership), Economy (Atmanirbhar Bharat), Critical Infrastructure (Dedicated Freight Corridor), Cybersecurity (CERT-In), Public Health (COVID-19 response), Education (STEM initiatives), Social Cohesion (Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat), Energy Security (International Solar Alliance), and Environmental Security (NAPCC).
Factors Responsible for Internal Security Problems:
- Social: Communal divide, Caste tensions, Poor human capital (unemployment), and Social Media (fake news).
- Economic: Unemployment (stone pelting), Regional disparity, Income inequality, and Poverty (attraction to smuggling/crime).
- Political: Inter-state disputes (water/boundaries), Separatist tendencies (ULFA), Vote bank politics, Administrative failure, Poor criminal justice system, and Criminalization of Politics ( $4,984$ ongoing criminal charges involving legislators as of December 1, 2021).
- Ideological: Religious Fundamentalism (Pan-Islamic Khilafat leading to Lone Wolf attacks like the Kanhaiya Lal murder in Udaipur) and Maoism.
- External: Unfriendly neighbors (Pakistan sponsoring LeT and JeM), Porous borders (Myanmar/Pakistan weapon smuggling), Proxy wars (Information warfare), and Interference through NGOs.
- Environmental: Climate Change (immigrant rise). Projections indicate rainfed rice yields could drop by $20\%$ by $2050$ and wheat yields by $19.3\%$ by $2050$ .
Categorization of Threats:
- Extremism: Uncompromising positions advocating drastic change through any means including violence.
- Militancy: Use of violence to further causes or challenge authority (e.g., militant environmentalists).
- Insurgency: Organized armed struggle against authority seeking autonomy (e.g., Kurdish insurgency in Iraq).
Measures to Strengthen Security:
- Social: Stringent laws like Section $192$ of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), $2023$ against hate speech.
- Economic: Stricter enforcement of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, $2018$ and PMLA, $2002$ .
- Administrative: Police reforms (Prakash Singh case, $2006$ ), Operation Green Hunt, and a National Counter-terrorism Centre (NCTC).
- Military: Reform in CAPF procurement and smart fencing.
National Security Strategy (NSS): India needs a written NSS as the current operational directive ( $2009$ ) is outdated. Previous efforts include the Kargil Review Committee ( $2000$ ), Naresh Chandra Committee ( $2011$ ), and Defence Planning Committee ( $2018$ ).
Weaponization of Space: Russia recently vetoed a UNSC draft resolution (jointly by USA and Japan) to prohibit deploying WMDs in outer space. India's efforts include the Defence Space Agency ( $2018$ ), Mission Shakti ( $2019$ ), and IndSpaceEx ( $2019$ ).
India's Nuclear Weapons Programme:
- Key Milestone: Operation Smiling Buddha (May 18, $1974$ ) in Pokhran, Rajasthan. Impact led to the formation of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
- Nuclear Doctrine: "Minimum Credible Deterrence" with a "No First Use" (NFU) policy. Retaliation is reserved for nuclear, large-scale chemical, or biological attacks on Indian territory or forces.
Hybrid Warfare: Combines conventional and unconventional tools (cyber-attacks, diplomacy, debt traps). It exploitation of societal weaknesses and uses psychological warfare.
Quantum Computing: Uses qubits/superposition. Threats include breaking RSA/ECC encryption. India launched the National Quantum Mission (NQM) in $2023$ .
Military Quantum Mission (MQM): Four pillars include Quantum Communication (QKD), Quantum Computing, Quantum Sensing, and Quantum Materials. It aims to shrink the OODA (Observe-Orient-Decide-Act) loop.
Countering Drone Threats: Vulnerabilities include control hijacking and data theft. India's D4 system (Drone Detection, Deterrence, and Destruction) has a $4\,km$ radius. VSHORAD systems include SAMAR-1 and Igla-S.

Linkages Between Development and Spread of Extremism

Breeding Grounds:
- Lack of Opportunity: Poverty and unemployment create alienation used by extremist groups.
- Perceived Injustice: Corruption and unequal resource distribution fuel resentment.
- Weak Governance: Power vacuums allow extremist recruitment (e.g., Boko Haram in Nigeria).
Regionalism: Prioritizing regional interests over national concerns. Causes include linguistic identity (Dravidian assertion), tribal aspirations (Jharkhand), and administrative neglect (Vidarbha movement).
- Impact on Security: Threat to national unity (Khalistan), rise in insurgencies (ULFA), and inter-state tensions (Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute).
Extremism in India: Ideologies rejecting pluralism and using extreme measures for political or religious ends. SDG- $16$ targets peaceful, inclusive societies.
Left-Wing Extremism (Naxalism):
- Origins: $1967$ uprising in Naxalbari, West Bengal. Follows Mao Zedong's political theory.
- Red Corridor: Spans Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, and Andhra Pradesh.
- Current Status ( $2025$ ): National target for elimination is March 31, $2026$ . Most-affected districts reduced from $6$ to $3$ (Bijapur, Sukma, Narayanpur).
- Violence Data: $81\%$ decrease in incidents ( $1,936$ in $2010$ to $374$ in $2024$ ). Deaths declined by $85\%$ ( $1,005$ in $2010$ to $150$ in $2024$ ).
- Maoist Ideology: Protracted war to overthrow the government through violent means; bearing arms is non-negotiable.
- Evolution: CPI formed in $1925$ ; CPI(M) in $1964$ ; CPI(ML) in $1969$ under Charu Majumdar. People's War Group and MCCI merged in $2004$ to form CPI (Maoist).
- Factors for Rise: Jal-Jangal-Jameen issues (tribal dispossession in Niyamgiri Hills), PESA/Fifth Schedule non-implementation, agrarian distress, and police brutality.
- Security Failures: Negligence of SOPs (e.g., Jan $2025$ Bijapur attack killing $8$ personnel), structural deficits in CAPF, and laundering of funds.
- SAMADHAN Strategy:
  - S: Smart Leadership.
  - A: Aggressive Strategy.
  - M: Motivation and Training.
  - A: Actionable Intelligence.
  - D: Dashboard Based KPIs.
  - H: Harnessing Technology.
  - A: Action Plan for each Theatre.
  - N: No access to Financing.
- Administrative Measures: Operation Green Hunt ( $2010$ ), Aspirational Districts Programme, and Civic Action Programme (e.g., Project "Winning Hearts and Minds").
- Models of Success: Greyhound Model (Andhra Pradesh), Saranda Model ( $2011$ ), Sandesh Model (Bihar).
Urban Naxals: Term for urban intellectuals/activists providing logistical and ideological support to rural cadres. Use "United Front" strategies to target marginalized groups and students.

Insurgency in North East India

Context: Northeast India includes $8$ states, $475$ ethnic groups, and $400$ languages. Connected via the $23\,km$ wide Siliguri Corridor (Chicken's Neck).
Historical Factors: British isolation of hills as "frontier areas"; religious conversions; post-independence merger resentment.
Constitutional Safeguards: Articles $244$ , $244A$ , and specific state provisions (Article $371A$ for Nagaland, $371C$ for Manipur, etc.). Sixth Schedule applies to Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.
Administrative Safeguards: Inner Line Permit (ILP) and Ministry of DoNER.
Nagaland:
- NNC: Declared independence on August 14, $1947$ . Phizo led a $1951$ referendum showing $99\%$ support for independence.
- NSCN: Formed in $1980$ . Split in $1988$ into NSCN(IM) and NSCN(K).
- Greater Nagalim Demand: Seeks to combine all Naga-inhabited areas in Northeast and Myanmar.
- Naga Peace Accord ( $2015$ ): GOI recognized unique Naga history; NSCN vowed allegiance to the Constitution. Deadlock remains over a separate flag and constitution.
Manipur:
- Demography: Meitei ( $64\%$ population in valley) vs. Nagas and Kukis (tribals in hills).
- $2023$ Violence: Triggered by High Court order on Meitei ST status. Resulted in $67,000$ displaced persons. President's Rule imposed February 13, $2025$ .
- Security Concern: Over $4,000$ looted weapons remain unrecovered.
Assam:
- ULFA: Formed in $1979$ for "Swadhin Asom". Bhutan's "Operation All Clear ( $2003$ )" flushed out camps.
- Bodo Issue: Bodos are the largest tribal community ( $5$ - $6\%$ of population). Bodo Territorial Council (BTC) formed under Sixth Schedule in $2003$ .
Tripura: Success story in curbing insurgency; AFSPA removed in $2015$ .
Mizoram: Peace agreement signed with MNF in $1986$ ; MNF rebels granted amnesty.
Drug Trafficking (Narco-Terrorism):
- Routes: Golden Triangle (Myanmar, Laos, Thailand). Porous borders allow smuggling that finances extremism.
- Impact: $13\%$ of drug abusers in India are under $20$ years old. Darknet markets ( $62\%$ usage for drugs) facilitate the trade.
- Mitigation: NCB's "Operation Samudragupt"; Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD).
AFSPA ( $1958$ ): Gives special powers to armed forces (use of force, search without warrant). In force in parts of Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Arunachal, and J&K. Supported by SC in Naga People’s Movement v. Union of India ( $1997$ ).

Militancy in Jammu and Kashmir

Historical Context: Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession in $1947$ . Article $370$ (abrogated in $2019$ ) gave special status.
Insurgency Phases:
- $1987$ Trigger: Believed rigging of Assembly elections disillusioned youth.
- $1990$ s Peak: Rise of LeT and JeM. Large foreign infiltration.
- New Trends ( $2010$ s): Burhan Wani ( $2016$ ) and social media glamorization.
Post- $2019$ Dynamics: Shift to "Hybrid Militants" (civilians without criminal records used for short-term attacks) and targetting minorities/tourists (e.g., Pahalgam attack).
OGWs (Overground Workers): Provide logistics, cash, and shelter. Recruit from prisons under the Public Safety Act (PSA).
Government Initiatives:
- Security: Operation All Out ( $2017$ ); revamping Village Defence Committees (VDCs); border anti-tunnel technology.
- Socio-Economic: Industrial Policy $2021$ ( $\text{Rs. } 28,400\,crore$ investment target); Mission Youth; Himayat and Udaan schemes; Project Sadbhavana.

Terrorism

UNGA Definiton ( $49/60$ ): Criminal acts intended to provoke a state of terror for political purposes.
Global Terrorism Index ( $2025$ ): India ranked $14^{th}$ .
Variants: Religious (Sikh separatism, Islamist insurgency), Economic (Naxalism), Alienation (Kashmiri youth).
Impacts: Erodes civil liberties, polarizes electorate, reduces FDI, damages tourism (e.g., post- $26/11$ Mumbai).
India's Response:
- NATGRID: Big data analytics to track suspects.
- MAC (Multi-Agency Centre): Daily intelligence sharing.
- NIA (Amendment) Act, $2019$ : Allows NIA to investigate human trafficking, cyber-terrorism, and attacks on Indian interests abroad.
PRAHAAR Policy: India’s first anti-terror policy based on "Zero Tolerance". Uses the acrostic: Prevention, Response, Aggregating Capacities, Human Rights, Attenuating Conditions, Aligning Globally, Recovery.
Types of Terrorism:
- Proxy Organizations: Fronts like The Resistance Front (TRF) for LeT/JeM.
- Lone Wolf: Hard-to-detect individual attacks (shootings, stabbings).
- Bioterrorism: Intentional release of biological agents (Anthrax, etc.).
- White Collar Terrorism: Radicalization of educated professionals (PhDs/Doctors) who move funds/info without suspicion (e.g., Ayman al-Zawahiri was a trained surgeon).

Cyber Security

Definition: Protecting info, devices, and networks from unauthorized access per IT (Amendment) Act, $2008$ .
Global Status: India achieved Tier $1$ status in Global Cybersecurity Index $2024$ with a score of $98.49/100$ .
Threat Types: Phishing, Malware, Ransomware (e.g., AIIMS $2022$ ), Zero-click attacks (e.g., Pegasus). Logic Bomb (intentional malicious code triggered by conditions).
Cyber Warfare: The "fifth domain" of warfare. Characteristics: Borderless, disguised attacker, low cost, rapid deployment.
India's Statistics: Cyber incidents rose from $10.29\,lakh$ in $2022$ to $22.68\,lakh$ in $2024$ . In Q1 $2024$ , blocked over $7.15\,billion$ BFSI incidents.
Legislative Framework:
- IT Act $2000$ : Cybercrime penalties.
- DPDP Act, $2023$ : Regulates personal data processing; creates a Data Protection Board. Penalties reach up to $\text{Rs. } 250\,crores$ .
Institutional Framework: NCCC (National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre), CERT-In (reporting within $6\,hours$ ), NCIIPC (Critical Information Infrastructure protection).

Money Laundering and Black Money

Process: Placement, Layering, Integration. Globally estimated at $2$ to $5\%$ of GDP ( $2\,trillion$ USD).
Techniques: Hawala, Round Tripping (Tax havens like Mauritius), Shell Companies, P-Notes, and Crypto-currency.
Implications: Loss of public trust, reduced tax revenue, concentrated wealth ( $1\%$ hold $58\%$ in India).
Terror Link: Laundered money funds weapons and training.
FATF Mutual Evaluation ( $2024$ ): India placed in "regular follow-up" (best category). Appreciated Bank account rise ( $53\%$ in $2014$ to $78\%$ in $2021$ ).
PMLA, $2002$ : Imprisonment from $3$ to $7\,years$ . Section $45$ makes bail difficult. Supreme Court upheld it in Vijay Madanlal Choudhury case ( $2022$ ).
Counterfeit Currency: $2.17\,lakh$ fake notes detected in FY $25$ . Troublesome $37.3\%$ surge in fake $\text{Rs. } 500$ notes.

Security Challenges and Border Management

Overview: India has $15,106.7\,km$ of land border and $7,516.6\,km$ of coastline.
Agencies: BSF (Pakistan/Bangladesh), ITBP (China), SSB (Nepal/Bhutan), Assam Rifles (Myanmar), Indian Coast Guard (Mainland coast).
Pakistan Border ( $3,323\,km$ ): Issues include Sir Creek dispute (mid-channel vs. green line) and Siachen Dispute (Operation Meghdoot, $1984$ ). AGPL runs from NJ $9842$ to Indira Col.
China Border ( $3,488\,km$ ): Disputed sectors: Western (Aksai Chin), Middle (Barahoti), Eastern (McMahon Line). Standoffs: Doklam ( $2017$ ) and Galwan ( $2020$ ).
Bangladesh Border ( $4,096.7\,km$ ): Porous; cattle/human trafficking. Land Boundary Agreement ( $2015$ ) exchanged enclaves.
Nepal Border ( $1,751\,km$ ): Open border; Kalapani dispute (Kali river origin). Nepali map includes Limpiyadhura/Lipulekh.
Myanmar Border ( $1,643\,km$ ): India plans to fence it and review the Free Movement Regime (FMR) which allowed $16\,km$ travel without visa.
Coastal Security: Post- $26/11$ architecture includes Joint Operations Centres (JOCs) and Sagar Kavach exercises. Maritime Anti-Piracy Act $2022$ applies to EEZ and high seas.
Andaman & Nicobar Islands: Strategic choke point near Malacca Strait. Only tri-command structure in India. EEZ contribution: $30\%$ .

Security Forces and Agencies

National Security Council (NSC): Established in $1998$ . Three-tier: Strategic Policy Group (SPG), National Security Advisory Board (NSAB), Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC).
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS): Created in $2019$ . Principal military advisor, permanent chair of CoSC. Max age $65$ .
Integrated Theatre Command (ITC): Unified structure for Army/Navy/Air Force assets under one commander. Current forces have $17$ separate commands.
Women in Combat: SC ruled absolute exclusion of women from command is against Article $14$ .
Police Reforms:
- Stats: Vacancies over $5.81\,lakh$ . National average is $155$ police per lakh (UN standard is $222$ ).
- Prakash Singh Case ( $2006$ ) Directives: State Security Commission, fixed tenure for DGP, separation of investigation and law/order, Police Complaints Authority.
Indigenization of Defense: Third largest army, but largest importer. Target for defense exports: $\text{Rs. } 50,000\,crore$ by $2028$ - $29$ . Current exports ( $2023$ - $24$ ) are $\text{Rs. } 21,083\,crore$ . India exports to over $100$ countries (BrahMos, Akash, Pinaka).