Security can be categorized into two groups:

• Internal security – Management of the security within the border of a country. Means maintenance of peace and law and order, and upholding the sovereignty of the country. In our country internal security comes under the purview of Ministry of Home Affairs.
• External security – Management of security against aggression by a foreign country. External security sole domain of Armed forces of country. This comes under the ambit of Ministry of Defence.

What is National Security?

• The concept of national security has evolved to include various dimensions beyond military protection.
• National security now encompasses areas such as economic, political, energy, cybersecurity, and environmental security.
• Governments employ a combination of political, economic, and military strategies, as well as diplomacy, to ensure national security.
• The Executive branch is typically responsible for coordinating and implementing security measures to safeguard the state and its citizens.
• The objective of national security is to protect the country’s citizens, economy, institutions, and advance national interests as a whole.

India’s internal security threats

Challenges Towards Internal Security of India 

• Political instability and internal social disharmony
• Naxalism
• Terrorism and nexus with organized crime
• Cyber-crime and cybersecurity
• Religious wars and caste crimes
• Coastal and border security
• Insurgency in North-East and militancy in J&K

Internal Security And External Security

Challenges to India’s External Security

Issues of Internal Security Management in India  

• There are several limitations and failures found to be prevalent in the country, which gives rise to the growth of terrorism, insurgencies, and Left-wing Extremism. There are also several causes and factors that demarcate the limitations and failures that they need to overcome. 
• Gradually, it emerged that the existing and the largely inherited security apparatus and the security management system in totality are unsuitable and outdated. They are suffering from structural and functional limitations. 
• It was also established that the country, in spite of several limitations and a faulty system in place, is still capable of defending its security effectively.

Measures taken by government to tackle these challenges:

• Combat Terrorism:
  • The establishment of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in 2011. It is responsible for coordinating the efforts of various government agencies to combat terrorism, and has been credited with improving the country’s ability to respond to terrorist attacks.
• Tackling cybercrime:
  • The establishment of the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) in 2004. CERT-In is responsible for coordinating the efforts of various government agencies to combat cybercrime, and has been credited with improving the country’s ability to respond to cyber-attacks.
• Insurgency:
  • The Indian government has taken a number of measures to address the threat of insurgency, including the use of military force against separatist groups. The government also maintains a strong intelligence network to gather information and prevent attacks.
    • The government has also launched various development initiatives in the North-East, aimed at reducing poverty and unemployment, which are often cited as root causes of insurgency in the region.
• Tackling Left-wing extremism:
  • Government has adopted a multi-pronged approach to tackle the problem of Left-Wing Extremism, by launching a security-oriented approach, and development-oriented approach, and a rights-based approach.
    • The government has also established a special task force to improve coordination between various agencies involved in tackling the problem of Left-Wing Extremism.

Conclusion

• There is a need for a more comprehensive and effective strategy to improve internal security in the country like:
  • Strengthening border security to prevent infiltration by terrorists and illegal arms and drug trafficking.
  • Enhancing intelligence gathering and sharing capabilities to detect and prevent terrorist attacks.

FAQs Related with Internal Security in India

Ques 1: What is internal security in India?

Answer: Internal security in India refers to the measures and actions taken to safeguard the country from threats and challenges within its borders, such as terrorism, insurgency, communal violence, and organized crime.

Ques 2: Who is responsible for internal security in India?

Answer: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is primarily responsible for internal security in India. It coordinates and oversees various agencies and forces, including the police, paramilitary forces, and intelligence agencies, to maintain law and order and protect the country from internal threats.

Ques 3: What are the key challenges to internal security in India?

Answer: Key challenges to internal security in India include terrorism, separatism, communal tensions, extremism, border disputes, cyber threats, and socio-economic disparities.

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