Internal Security in a Multi-Party Federal Polity

Internal threats to national security have assumed centre-stage in the debates on Indian security. They have a pan-Indian presence and are no longer confined to India’s north and north-eastern frontiers. Therefore, tackling these threats is a common concern for the Union and the States. And yet, whether it is in the handling of the unrest in Jammu and Kashmir, or the blockade of Manipur by the NSCN (IM) or the lack of coordination between the central paramilitary forces and the state police in naxal areas, the federal nature of the Indian polity has brought forth tensions between the Union and the concerned States. Such tensions result in a sub-optimal response to the challenges posed.

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