Chapter 1:Counter-Terrorism Scenario in J&K

Introduction

• One of the most beautiful parts of the nation is Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Cross-border terrorism, separatist violence, and armed militancy have all been issues in the region for more than 30 years.
• But since the early 1990s, this militancy has undergone a significant transformation as a result of a number of internal and external dynamics, including the pivotal role played by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the development of Kashmir's separatist politics, the influence of terrorist organisations, and the rise of social media.
• Since dozens of Kashmiri youth crossed the Line of Control (LoC) to train in Pakistan-occupied J&K (PoK) and join the ranks of terrorist organisations in 1989, the militancy in J&K now presents a qualitatively different challenge to the security establishment.

Latest Developments

• Three years had passed since the Union Government removed J&K's special status and established the two new Union Territories (UTs) of J&K and Ladakh. This date, August 5, 2022, marked that date.
• Being a break from the past and the beginning of a new administrative and security approach to this strategically significant region, this development is regarded as a watershed point for the area.
• There is evidence of hope for a better future thanks to a number of programmes the J&K UT administration and security apparatus have done since then.
• As of right now, the situation in J&K is firmly under the control of Indian security establishments. Intense operations by security forces have kept the pressure on militants up while cutting off their backing from terrorist networks.

Current Terrorism Outlook for the Region

• An important sign of the region's increased security is the terrorists' current standing in terms of their ability to still operate there.
• Early in the 1990s, there were several thousand of them. The circumstance has considerably altered, though. At the moment, there are roughly 163 terrorists in Kashmir.
• These people are mostly affiliated with the three terrorist organisations Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM).
• However, it is clear that the terrorists from Pakistan now just serve as leaders and inspiration for the terrorists from their own country.
• The main centre of militancy is still in South Kashmir, but Pakistani militants have used North Kashmir as a major entrance point across the Line of Control.

Combating the Infiltration of Cross-Border Militants

• The hilly terrain in north Kashmir has been utilised by terrorist groups with ties to Pakistan to get into the Kashmir Valley.
• Militants come through the southern Pir Panjal range, the hilly Rajouri-Poonch regions, and the Jammu-Samba-Kathua plains.
• Security forces have established a three-tiered counter-infiltration grid that is extremely successful to combat this infiltration.
• In the LoC, the Indian Army is the top tier, followed by paramilitaries like the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in the second, and the J&K Police in the third (JKP).
• The security forces have also installed Anti Infiltration Obstacle System (AIOS) fence and improved monitoring by utilising drones, night-vision gear, and portable thermal imaging devices.

Crackdown on Terrorist Groups and their Ecosystem

• With a number of Counter-Insurgency (CI) operations, the security forces have intensified the pressure on the terrorist organisations in the area.
• Great achievements were achieved by taking out the top militant leadership and foiling their subversive scheme.
• Army officials have also noted that terrorist organisations are cooperating and acting as a single entity as a result of ongoing CI operations.
• Punitive action against the subversive components of the ecosystem that support the terrorists, including the network of Over Ground Workers (OGWs) and terrorist sympathisers, is a critical component of the security operation.
• The OGWs who assist the militants by offering various services, such as recharging cell phones, providing refuge, and notifying the terrorists on the activities of the security forces, have come under the focus of security officials.
• Under the Public Safety Act and Illegal Activities (Prevention) Act, the J&K Police have detained around 900 OGWs since 2019.
• Another important area of concern has been preventing terrorist financing. Several inquiries investigating allegations of financing for terrorism have been opened by the National Investigative Agency (NIA).

Problems Arise in Anti Terrorism

• Radicalism and Terrorist Recruitment: The rise in local terrorist recruiting in places like Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, and Awantipora has been a major source of worry. Recruitment has primarily been sparked by the radicalization of local youngsters.
• Via national integration tours, athletic training programmes and festivals, skill development seminars, and other activities, the Indian Army's "Sahi Raasta" effort seeks to combat the problem of radicalization.
• terrorist groups that are both hybrid and virtual: The terrorist leaders' tactics have altered in response to increasing CI operations and the elimination of numerous active militants.
• The emergence of contemporary technologies in cyberspace, such as the dark web, has allowed militants to use scientific progress to further their goals.
• Pakistan's information warfare: The ISI is working hard to disseminate false information on social media platforms as a result of Pakistan's material and monetary support for terrorist organisations like the LeT and JeM coming under scrutiny internationally.
• The fact that Pakistan is using any incident, no matter how small, to fuel its media warfare operation against India and its security forces presents a serious problem.
• A broad national effort based on India's democratic history will be needed to counter these falsehoods.
• A counterattack is being carried out by the Chinar Corps of the Indian Army in Srinagar, but this requires widespread support.