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India, a long-term victim of terror activities, is experiencing a new face of terrorism: white collar terrorism. Thus, its security preparedness has to be of the highest order.
Terrorism, the scourge of the modern world, takes many forms and interpretations; one nation’s terrorist could be another’s freedom fighter or even social reformer. Regardless of the differing standards applied to categorise them, the deliberate use of violence, especially against innocents, at times reaching catastrophic levels, characterises the act of terrorism. Regrettably, despite the world having been gravely stricken by this plague for many decades, it has failed to even come to a universally accepted definition of terrorism. This curse continues to afflict mankind for prolonged periods and in newer forms, taking a toll on innocent people before a nation’s security and intelligence agencies can react to the element of surprise or comprehend the newer modus operandi of these terror acts.
India’s western neighbour, Pakistan, has continually kept up the tempo of terror acts, primarily in India’s state of J&K, and even other parts of India, including in some of India’s NE states. That China, too, has, in the past, endeavoured to foment insurgency in the Northeastern states is widely acknowledged. ‘
Terrorism is an act of violence to destabilise the enemy country’s fundamental political, economic, constitutional, military or social structures and replace them with the terror group's own ideological constituents. Although terrorism is an age-old phenomenon, despite causing large-scale casualties and mayhem, there have been virtually no major political changes in nations afflicted by it. Unfortunately, some nations across the globe have adopted the employment and export of terrorism as an instrument of their state policy. Pakistan stands out as a consistent exponent of terrorism, in diverse ways, in the region and beyond. The fact that its actions have not been adequately condemned by its mentor, China, is irreconcilable. That Pakistan’s earlier benefactor, the US, which has condemned Pakistan for years for its terror activities, but for reasons only the US can justify now, is now looking the other way at Pakistan’s machinations, is indeed surprising and will encourage Pakistan to intensify its malign activities.
India, a long-term victim of Pakistani-sponsored terror activities in the country, recently experienced a new face of terrorism, namely, “white collar terrorism”.
Terror outfits generally remain ahead of counter terrorism outfits of governments in the execution of such terror attacks. Additionally, they adopt newer tactics and strategies to hoodwink security establishments. India, a long-term victim of Pakistani-sponsored terror activities in the country, recently experienced a new face of terrorism, namely, “white collar terrorism”. On 10 November 2025, a car near the parking area of the historic Red Fort in New Delhi exploded, killing its occupant, allegedly Dr Umar Nabi, and 14 others and injuring scores of people and causing property damage. Three other doctors, ostensibly of the same terror network established in the well-known Al Fala University in Faridabad, had been arrested in the morning was no coincidence. It showcased a sinister and deeply embedded terror network operating through highly trained medical personnel who were getting their orders from handlers abroad. The police and India’s NIA had moved swiftly and, besides arresting these doctors, also recovered nearly 3,000 kgs of explosives, which clearly pointed to massive explosions at many targets being planned. The Al Fala University is currently under intensive scrutiny of the establishment for nurturing a ‘white terror’ ecosystem.
NIA and state police raids across many places in India also led to the recovery of highly inflammable material, automatic rifles and pistols, evidence of plans to manufacture chemical agents, including an alleged ricin plot. Even some Jaish-e-Mohammad posters had been found by the J&K police in the Budgam area in October 2025. That subsequently, after the Red Fort blast in the trans- shipment of these explosives to J&K, further nine deaths resulted at the Badgam Police Station was a sorry commentary on our explosives experts' handling. These accidental, unfortunate deaths were highly avoidable, and better SOPs should be worked out for handling the seized explosives.
India has just witnessed a new conglomerate of terror modules based on well-educated persons and surprisingly from the medical fraternity.
Importantly, India has just witnessed a new conglomerate of terror modules based on well-educated persons and surprisingly from the medical fraternity. All fingers for this new form of terror activities point towards Pakistan, now under its new leadership of Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir, who appears emboldened by the US’s renewed proximity to Pakistan and by the legal cover granted to the Pakistani Army Chief through parliamentary sanction for his sweeping military and judicial powers.
The recently identified “white collar terrorism” is a cause of immense concern. The fact that this form of terrorism has been given a religious and somewhat political hue further deepens the threat. It will thus require a whole-of-nation approach to successfully tackle it.
Overall, as India faces a credible two-front threat now, buttressed also by “white collar terrorism”, India’s security preparedness has to be of the highest order. India’s armed forces must continue to vastly improve their offensive and defensive capabilities, for deterrence against their adversaries lies in sheer military strength.
As India faces a credible two-front threat now, buttressed also by “white collar terrorism”, India’s security preparedness has to be of the highest order.
Intelligence agencies and police forces in the affected states must vastly improve their penetrative grassroots intelligence acquisition capabilities. Knowledge sharing of all adversarial inputs with the central and state agencies will prove helpful. Additional intelligence efforts in white-collar outfits and institutions will have to be planned, including the employment of state-of-the-art technologies.
India needs to shift from a policy of strategic restraint to punitive deterrence when required. However, both internationally and domestically, it must also be seen as a firm actor, ever-vigilant, with a “zero tolerance” policy towards terrorism, while remaining fair and unbiased toward all citizens. A concerted, well-conceived programme to discourage educated youth from falling for propaganda from across the border will have to be adopted.
As an emerging global power, India will have to successfully thwart all efforts by adversaries to hamper its rise and well-being. Defeating all forms of terror and proxy warfare should remain a top priority.
Lt Gen Kamal Davar was the first Chief of India's Defence Intelligence Agency and is a noted strategic analyst.
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Lt Gen Kamal Davar was the first Chief of Indias Defence Intelligence Agency and is a noted strategic analyst.
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