Internal Security

About Centre

The Centre focuses on issues that challenge India’s internal security. Secessionist movements based on ethnic identities in the Northeast and Jammu & Kashmir have been contesting the Indian state through violent means for decades. The Left Wing Extremism movement based on Marxist-Leninist ideology is engaged in a struggle to overthrow the democratic structure of the Indian state. Intermittent terrorist attacks perpetrated by foreign and home grown terrorist groups have been disrupting peace and political order in the country. Infiltration, illegal migration, and trafficking of arms and narcotics are not only breaching the country’s international borders but are also aggravating its security situation. The research efforts of the Centre are focused on analysing the trends, patterns, causes, and implications of these threats and challenges, and suggesting policy alternatives. The Centre’s research agenda includes: left wing extremism, insurgencies in the Northeast India, cross border terrorism and militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, global and national trends in terrorism, management of India’s international borders and security of its coasts.

The Centre also undertakes various projects entrusted by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Security Council Secretariat on matters internal security. The Centre has a mix of civilian scholars and officers deputed from the armed forces and central armed police forces.

The Centre has a bilateral agreement to collaborate with the Border Security Forces’ Institute for Border Management and Strategic Studies.

Jawaharlal Nehru and the Chief of Defence Staff

The appointment of the Naresh Chandra Committee is an opportunity for India’s strategic community to engage in a long-overdue debate on our approach to national security

China’s Claim on Arunachal Pradesh: Local Perspectives

Issue Brief tries to establish an understanding of local perspectives on the Chinese claim. It also details the challenges that have been afflicting the state over the years namely related to governance, rivers, and border security....

The Need for Declassification of War Histories and other Documents

Civil society in general and the strategic community in particular must demand the release of documents pertaining to India’s security.

Is India’s Transport Infrastructure Prepared for the Eastern Front?

It is imperative that the transport connectivity in the Northeast be strengthened by the establishment of railway networks in the hinterland, by the timely construction of roads that extend to the borders, and by expediting the construction of bridges.

Shivananda H
June 15, 2011
IDSA Comments

‘Golden Corridor’ Turning into Maoist Hub

The urban presence and activities of Naxalites of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) [CPI (Maoist], or Maoists, in short, is fast picking pace. On May 13, police arrested 10 Maoists in Pune, though they actually belonged to West Bengal. Nine of them were working as casual labourers while their leader was using the cover of a labour contractor. Four pistols and Naxalite literature running into 300 pages were recovered from their possession.

Arming the Unarmed

Given lack of training, combat exposure and expertise in use of weapons, SPOs are unlikely to be effective even in the defensive line of action.

‘Peace Talks’ in Assam’s Post Election Scenario

Returning for a third consecutive term the Tarun Gogoi government in Assam should now confront and resolve the sensitive Internal Security Challenges from the perspective of ‘peace talks’ as against the victims’ right to justice

Economic Potential of Northeast India: An Asset or Threat?

Although the causes of insurgency in the region have been primarily political, the ambiguity related to its economic potential has added fuel to the turmoil.

Understanding the Maoist Challenge through the Development Debate

The sense of a liberated zone is apparent as one enters Chitrakonda, with three storey tombs painted in red with the comrades’ name and a hammer and sickle dotting the arid landscape.

al Qaeda: Beyond Osama-bin Laden

The death of Osama bin laden, is not the end of al Qaeda. It may disable it, but will not kill ‘al Qaeda the idea or movement’. We need to remember that bin Laden and al Qaeda articulated a political grievance which will not disappear with his elimination. The 'war of ideas' is still on.