India's vulnerability to cross-border terrorism is rooted in its diverse cultural landscape and historical colonial legacy, which have fostered internal divisions among various ethnic and religious groups. External forces, particularly Pakistan and China, exploit these internal tensions to destabilize the country by supporting militant groups and instigating conflicts, notably in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeastern states. Additionally, India's porous borders and socio-economic challenges contribute to the ease of infiltration and the rise of insurgent movements, exacerbating security threats.

1. Cross-Border Terrorism in India: Why India
is vulnerable
By DK Sinha
India has a unique history and singular geographical location, and because of this its internal
peace and security is especially vulnerable to subversive forces.
The country is a cultural mosaic, with a multiplicity of racial, religious, ethnic and linguistic
groups. Nearly all of these groupings clamour for the special attention of the Central government
and seek special social and legal privileges to protect their identities. In this way these groups
often behave as competing groups, and therefore the relationship between groups can be very
fragile.
Even if different groups bond together in one cohesive whole the fault-lines remain. A clever
manipulation of deep-seated prejudices and suspicions through the use of controversial symbols
and motivated acts of offence has often led to outbreak of terrible violence.
This is specially true of India because of its colonial experience and the British legacy of playing
one group against another in a system of distribution of political and economic rewards. It has
entrenched groups against one another and also put up the group against the state itself.
Moreover, a residual loyalty to a region, a religious community, an ethnic background, etc., are
still strong enough to challenge the ideals and assumptions which form the base on which the
edifice of modern nationhood rests. The problem is compounded when external forces get
involved with the internal tensions. They manipulate the sentiments and fears of groups and posit
before them the inevitability and necessity of armed rebellion against the state.
All the armed insurgent outfits that are active in different parts of the country have the tenacity to
raise arms against the state, wreak havoc on security forces and civilians alike and sustain their
movement for decades primarily because of external support. The aim of these external forces is
to destabilise India or at the least keep it engaged in worrying about the suppurating wounds.
The demographic and geographical reality is such that affinities cut across societies and political
boundaries. Many ethnic groups, especially in the areas bordering the international boundary,
have as much in common with the population living across the boundary as with their own
nationals.
These social continuities across territorial frontiers have given rise to demands for redrawing
national and international boundaries. However, due to the involvement of external forces, the
scope for the resolution of conflicts at internal level is greatly reduced.

2. Countries surrounding India have been actively exploiting the volatile situation in the north-east
and Jammu and Kashmir, as well as the disturbed law and order situation in various other parts
of the country. Through political backing, economic assistance, military training and arms
supplies, these countries have contributed varyingly to destabilise the internal security situation
in India.
The Chinese support to the insurgents came in the early 1960s and continued through the 1970s.
Both Issac Swu and Muivah Thangkhul, leaders of the NSCN, received guerrilla training in the
Yunan province of China in 1967. It was because of the Chinese support that the Naga outfit
became one of the best organised insurgent outfits.
Taking the cue from the Nagas, other insurgent groups also sought and got moral and material
support from China. The Mizo and Meitei insurgents were also trained in guerrilla warfare and
subversion tactics in Yunan and Lhasa. However, in their endeavour to normalise relations with
India support to the insurgents in the north-east has been practically stopped by China since the
1980s.
Dr. Rajpal Budania (in his book, India’s Security Dilemma) points out that sponsored-terrorism
is abetted from outside a country with a view to weakening or destroying the political cohesion
of the targeted country. Pakistan has indulged in such an exercise targeting India with definite
strategic and political motives for destabilising or breaking up India. Pakistan has been
instrumental in spreading terrorism and secessionism not only in Jammu and Kashmir but also in
Punjab, and North-eastern states.
Its security and military establishments have attempted to establish operational links with drug
syndicates and fundamentalist groups in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan’s assistance to
militants in Kashmir goes much beyond, what Pakistan acknowledges, moral, political and
diplomatic support. Pakistan, has been providing the militants with weapons and training. Pattern
of Pakistani involvement in terrorist activities in Kashmir has involved: training of Kashmiri
militants; induction of Pakistani nationals and other alien mercenaries into the valley, mainly
Afghans, Libyans, Sudanese and Iranians; providing safe sanctuaries to leaders of militant
groups kept in Pakistan to manipulate, control and guide the terrorists; supply and continued
induction of weapons and communication equipment; providing funds; subversive propaganda
through electronic and print media; and attempts at garnering international support by raising the
issue of human rights violation in Jammu and Kashmir. Interrogation of the captured militants
indicates that militancy is being orchestrated by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in Pakistan.
Attempts have been made to establish close coordination between the militants in Kashmir and
Punjab.
Pakistan’s encouragement to terrorism in J&K did not remain unnoticed by other important
countries of the world which have been sympathetic towards Pakistan. In January 1993, the
Clinton Administration in the US placed Pakistan on a “Watch List” of nations suspected of
giving support to international terrorism. However, in July, the US decided to remove Pakistan
from the list of suspected terrorist state. Yet America has never categorically denied that
Pakistan is not involved in giving material support to militants in Kashmir.

3. India has accused Pakistan of its involvement in terrorist activities also in other parts of the
country such as blasts in Bombay stock exchange in March 1993, airdropping of arms in Purulia
district in West Bengal in December 1995, bomb blasts in Delhi and Red Fort firing in December
2000, the attack on Parliament in 2002 and elsewhere with the motives of destabilising the Indian
polity and economy. ISI is active in northeastern India and it is reported to be operating from
Nepal, Bangladesh and even Bhutan.
India faces yet another threat in the form of narco-terrorism from Pakistan. The narco-link
between the drug smugglers from Pakistan and ‘ the Punjab terrorists is known to exist. Reports
show the narco-link playing a role in the northeast.
In a plural and developing society like India differences between the political units of the state as
well as between various sections of society are bound to come up. Pakistan has taken advantage
of these vulnerabilities and encouraged separatist tendencies in India.
When the Naga National Council was established in 1956, Pakistan (East) was the first to give
the outfit moral and material training. The Naga leadership shares a very close relationship with
the Pakistani government.
Till the time of the independence of Bangladesh, all major northeastern insurgent outfits
including MNF and NSCN were trained by Pakistan in what is now Bangladesh. Even after the
break-up of Pakistan, the relationship with the insurgent groups continued.
Pakistani efforts at provoking the people of Jammu and Kashmir failed to fructify for a long
time. But it took advantages of internal disturbances in the late 1980s and managed to incite a
full-fledged armed insurgency.
Its experience in exploiting the tension in Punjab proved useful. The raising of the Taliban and
providing it with the material and logistical support gave the necessary morale boost to the
Pakistani agencies vis-a-vis their activities against India.
Till 1971, Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) was the base of most insurgent groups. The situation
changed after the liberation of Bangladesh but only until Mujibur Rehman was in power. After
the assassination of Mujibur Rehman, subsequent governments in Bangladesh have allowed ISI
activities directed against India to flourish.
The extremely porous Indo-Bangladesh border is prone to illegal immigration and has often been
used by the ISI to push in its agents. Similarly, due to the open borders between India and Nepal
the latter country serves as the easiest entry route. The hijacking of Indian Airlines aircraft IC814
from Kathmandu shows that the network is widespread.
Why India is vulnerable India is a large democratic state marked by diversity of ethnic/ religious
groups. Disaffection can easily be fanned into eruptions against other communities and state
symbols.

4. Much the largest state in a neighbourhood of less successful or smaller states (excepting China),
which are for most of the time ruled by dictators or military, India becomes a target for cross-
border terror groups.
India’s borders are not ‘secure’ in the sense they are vast and difficult at any one time to watch
over, given the terrain in the north and northwest as well as in the north-east. The borders are
porous, and easy to infiltrate. Illegal immigration is a major problem in the east.
Economic deprivation and low development levels among many regions occupied by some
communities have been grounds for disturbances.
The states of Assam and Nagaland have over the years received a large influx of immigrants.
Shifting demographics in an area already prone to tribal friction have helped touch off a number
of religious and cultural conflicts.
Poverty is endemic in the region, and many groups are demanding independence, citing neglect
and discrimination on the part of the Indian government as grounds for separation. Militant
groups like the United Liberation Front of Assam have targeted politicians and infrastructure in
an attempt to force out government influence.