Analyse the complexity and intensity of terrorism, its causes, linkages and obnoxious nexus. Also suggest measures required to be taken to eradicate the menace of terrorism.
Approach · directive: “analyse / suggest”
What it asks · Analyse why terrorism is complex and intense, its causes, and its links with crime and other actors, and suggest measures to eradicate it.
It asks 4 things — answer each
- Analyse the complexity and intensity of terrorism
- Analyse its causes
- Analyse its linkages and the crime-terror nexus
- Suggest measures to eradicate terrorism
Open with · Terrorism is organised violence against civilians and the State for ideological or political ends; in India it fuses external sponsorship, local grievance and organised crime, which explains its complexity and intensity even as terrorist-initiated incidents in Jammu and Kashmir fell from 228 in 2018 to 43 in 2023.
Cover
- Complexity: religious, ethnic and political ideologies, state sponsorship, lone-wolf actors and online radicalisation; tactics shift from bombs to fidayeen attacks and drones.
- Intensity: Parliament (2001), Mumbai (2008) and Pulwama (2019) brought heavy casualties, fear, economic loss and India-Pakistan crises.
- Causes: alienation, poverty and unemployment, regional or communal grievances, weak governance, indoctrination; state support as a major source of backing (PM at NMFT, 2022).
- Linkages: drug trafficking, hawala, counterfeit currency, crypto and cyber channels; nexus of terrorists with criminals, smugglers and corrupt officials under cross-border havens.
- Security and law: intelligence integration, police modernisation, NIA, border and coastal security, counter-drone capability, UAPA, MHA's CFT Cell with FATF, speedy trials.
- Preventive: deradicalisation, community policing, counter-narratives, jobs and inclusive development.
- Global: No Money for Terror conferences (Paris 2018, Melbourne 2019, New Delhi 2022); press for the CCIT India proposed at the UN in November 1996.
Close with · Terrorism yields to force only when justice, inclusion and global action against its sponsors move with it; a universal legal framework through the CCIT remains the unfinished piece.
Add value (verified)
- MHA (December 2023): terrorist-initiated incidents in J&K fell from 228 in 2018 to 43 in 2023 (to 30 November); civilians killed from 55 to 13; security personnel killed from 91 to 25.PIB, Ministry of Home Affairs (December 2023): Decline in terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir (Parliament reply) ↗“Description 2018 2023 (upto 30 th November) Terrorist Initiated Incidents 228 43 Encounters 189 48 Civilians killed 55 13 Security personnel killed in action 91 25”
- India proposed the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism at the UN General Assembly in November 1996 and still seeks its adoption.PIB backgrounder: 12 Years of India's Zero Tolerance Against Terror ↗“India originally proposed the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) at the UN General Assembly in November 1996 and continues to call for its early adoption to establish a universal legal framework against terrorism.”
- MHA runs a Countering Financing of Terrorism (CFT) Cell to coordinate with the FATF.PIB backgrounder: 12 Years of India's Zero Tolerance Against Terror ↗“Countering Financing of Terrorism Cell (CFT Cell) in the Ministry of Home Affairs to coordinate with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an inter-governmental international body dealing with anti-money laundering and CFT issues.”
- The third No Money for Terror conference, New Delhi, 18-19 November 2022, followed the Paris (2018) and Melbourne (2019) conferences on terrorist financing.PIB, Ministry of Home Affairs (November 2022): 3rd Ministerial Conference on Countering Financing of Terrorism, No Money for Terror, to be held in New Delhi on November 18 and 19 ↗“The Conference aims to progress the discussions on combating terrorist financing held by the international community in the previous two Conferences in Paris (2018) and Melbourne (2019).”
- At that conference the Prime Minister identified state support as a major source of political, ideological and financial support to terrorism.PIB, PMO (18 November 2022): PM attends third 'No Money for Terror' Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing in New Delhi ↗“The Prime Minister highlighted state support as one of the major sources of political, ideological and financial support to terrorism.”
Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2021, GS Paper III — paper ↗. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 3 Oct 2026 (how we verify) — UPSC publishes no model answers. ·
Model answer· 369words · Minimalist IAS
Terrorism is organised violence against civilians and the State for ideological or political ends. In India it fuses external sponsorship, local grievance and organised crime; that fusion explains both its complexity and its intensity, even as terrorist-initiated incidents in Jammu and Kashmir fell from 228 in 2018 to 43 in 2023 (to 30 November).
Complexity and intensity of terrorism
- Many faces: religious, ethnic and political ideologies, state sponsorship, lone-wolf actors and online radicalisation, each needing a different response.
- Shifting tactics: from bombings to fidayeen attacks and drones; targets range from civilians to security forces and symbols of the State.
- Intensity: the Parliament attack (2001), Mumbai (2008) and Pulwama (2019) caused heavy casualties, fear, economic loss and India-Pakistan crises.
Causes of terrorism
- Push factors: alienation, poverty and unemployment, regional or communal grievances and weak governance.
- Pull factors: ideological indoctrination and external sponsorship; at the 2022 No Money for Terror conference the Prime Minister named state support as a major source of political, ideological and financial backing for terrorism.
Linkages and the obnoxious nexus
- Finance: drug trafficking, hawala, counterfeit currency and crypto or cyber channels fund and supply terror groups.
- Nexus: terrorists work with criminals, smugglers and corrupt officials, backed by cross-border havens and sponsors, blurring the line between crime and terror.
- Cyber: encrypted communication, propaganda and recruitment give the networks reach.
Terror-crime nexus: narcotics; hawala and fake currency; arms smuggling; cyber and crypto; state sponsors and safe havens
Measures to eradicate terrorism
- Security: intelligence integration, police reform and modernisation, a strong NIA, border and coastal security and counter-drone capability.
- Law and finance: effective use of UAPA, MHA's Countering Financing of Terrorism Cell working with the FATF, action against hawala and counterfeit currency, and speedy prosecution.
- Preventive: deradicalisation, community policing, counter-narratives, education, jobs and inclusive development in affected regions.
- Global: the No Money for Terror conferences (Paris 2018, Melbourne 2019, New Delhi 2022) on terror financing; isolate sponsors, cooperate on intelligence and extradition, and press for the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism India proposed at the UN in November 1996.
Terrorism yields to force only when justice, inclusion and global action against its sponsors move with it; a universal legal framework through the CCIT remains the unfinished piece of that fight.
Prepared by Minimalist IAS to the answer standard of Shivam Singh (mentor, 7 years) · facts checked against official sources (how we verify) · updated 3 Oct 2026. UPSC publishes no model answers: compare your structure and coverage with this, then write your own.
