India remains safe from major terror attacks since 2013: NSA Ajit Doval
New Delhi – National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said India has successfully countered terrorism over the last decade. He declared that the country has not witnessed any major terror incident since 2013, except in Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking at the Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture on Governance, Doval credited India’s strong internal security system for this achievement.
Doval emphasized that terrorism once posed a grave threat but India reversed the trend through firm policies and timely action. “The facts are facts and cannot be disputed. Terrorism in India has been effectively countered,” he said. He recalled that the last major incident occurred in July 2005, followed by one in 2013. “Since then, no terror attack has taken place in the hinterland,” he noted.
He said security forces worked relentlessly to dismantle terror networks. “Efforts were made. People were arrested. Explosives were recovered,” Doval added. However, he called Jammu and Kashmir an exception, describing it as a “theatre of proxy war” waged by Pakistan. “That is a different ballgame,” he said, stressing that the rest of India remains secure.
Doval highlighted the government’s focus on deterrence and preparedness. “It’s not enough to take security measures. We must also make every Indian feel safe from internal and external threats,” he said. He explained that deterrence now defines India’s national security policy. “We have shown the will and strength to respond to any threat decisively,” Doval said.
He also spoke about the decline in left-wing extremism, which once affected large parts of central and eastern India. “Enemies have remained active, but we have contained them. Left-wing extremism now affects less than 11 percent of areas compared to 2014,” he said. Most districts earlier marked as red zones are now safe, he added.
Doval linked national security with effective governance. He said poor governance often leads to instability and unrest. “The rise and fall of great empires or democracies is tied to their governance,” he observed. Referring to recent political turbulence in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, he called them examples of “regime change through poor governance.”
He urged policymakers to maintain strong institutions and efficient governance to protect national stability. “Security is not only about weapons or intelligence. It’s about building a nation that runs efficiently and fairly,” Doval said.
He concluded by asserting that India’s internal security stands stronger than ever. “We have shown that determined governance, law enforcement, and public confidence can defeat terrorism,” he said.
With peace largely restored across the country, Doval’s remarks underline India’s success in securing its borders and people — a goal once considered distant but now a proven reality.
