In News:

The 13th edition of the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2026 reported a decline in global terrorism during 2025, with terrorism-related deaths falling by 28% and terrorist incidents declining by 22%. Despite this improvement, the report cautions that terrorism is becoming more concentrated, decentralised, digitally driven, and closely linked to armed conflicts, posing new security challenges.

About the Global Terrorism Index (GTI)

The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) is an annual report released by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), an independent, non-profit think tank headquartered in Sydney, Australia. It measures the impact of terrorism across countries using indicators such as terrorist incidents, fatalities, injuries, and hostage situations.

Key Findings of GTI 2026

• While global terrorism has declined numerically, the nature of the threat is evolving. Nearly 70% of terrorism-related deaths were concentrated in Pakistan, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Niger, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with the Sahel region accounting for more than half of global fatalities. Pakistan emerged as the most terrorism-affected country, while India ranked 13th globally.
• The report highlights that 99% of terrorism-related deaths occur in countries experiencing armed conflict or political instability, underlining the close relationship between weak governance and violent extremism.
• Another significant trend is the rise of decentralised and digitally enabled terrorism. Terrorist organisations increasingly rely on lone-wolf attackers, small autonomous cells, encrypted communication platforms, social media, and AI-driven online radicalisation, making attacks more difficult for intelligence agencies to detect.
• The report also notes that over 60% of terrorist attacks occur within 100 km of international borders, facilitating cross-border infiltration, arms trafficking, and terror financing. Globally, organisations such as Islamic State (IS), Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Al-Shabaab continue to dominate the terrorism landscape.

What is Terrorism?

There is no universally accepted legal definition of terrorism because countries have not reached consensus on a binding international definition. However, most definitions include three common elements:

• Use or threat of violence.
• Targeting civilians or non-combatants to create fear.
• Pursuit of political, ideological, or religious objectives.

The United Nations broadly describes terrorism as criminal acts intended to cause death or serious injury to civilians or compel governments or international organisations to act.

In India, Section 15 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 define terrorist acts as those threatening India's sovereignty, unity, integrity, security, or economic stability.

In News:

The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2026, released by the Institute for Economics and Peace, provides a comprehensive assessment of the impact of terrorism across 163 countries, covering nearly the entire global population. The report highlights evolving trends in terrorism and shifting regional dynamics.

About the Global Terrorism Index

• The GTI is an annual report that measures the impact of terrorism using a composite scoring system ranging from 0 (no impact) to 10 (highest impact).
• The index evaluates countries based on indicators such as number of incidents, fatalities, injuries, and property damage, thereby enabling comparative analysis of terrorism trends globally.

Key Findings of GTI 2026

• The 2026 report indicates a decline in global terrorism intensity, with deaths decreasing by around 28% and incidents falling by 22% compared to previous levels.
• However, the geographical concentration of terrorism has shifted significantly. Sub-Saharan Africa has emerged as the epicentre of global terrorism, with six of the ten most affected countries located in the region.
• For the first time, Pakistan ranks as the most impacted country, reflecting rising instability and militant activity. India is placed at 13th position, indicating a moderate but persistent threat environment.
• The report also identifies the most lethal terrorist organisations, including Islamic State (IS), Jamaat Nusrat Al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and Al-Shabaab, which continue to drive global terrorism.

Emerging Trends

The findings reveal a decline in traditional conflict-driven terrorism in some regions, but a simultaneous rise in fragile and conflict-affected states, particularly in Africa.

Terrorism is increasingly linked with political instability, weak governance, and socio-economic vulnerabilities, rather than being confined to specific ideological or geographic zones.

The diffusion of extremist networks and the use of asymmetric tactics continue to pose challenges for global security systems.

Implications for India and Global Security

For India, the ranking underscores the need for continued vigilance against cross-border terrorism and radicalisation threats, while also recognising improvements in internal security mechanisms.

Globally, the shift of terrorism hotspots to new regions calls for reoriented counter-terrorism strategies, greater international cooperation, and capacity building in vulnerable states.

The persistence of major terrorist organisations highlights the need for intelligence sharing, financial tracking, and coordinated global action.