‘Facts are facts’: NSA Doval says India has countered terrorism, calls J&K ‘theatre of proxy war’ for Pakistan

NSA Ajit Doval

National security advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval stated on Friday that terrorism has largely been controlled in India, noting the last major terror incident in the country – outside Jammu and Kashmir – took place in the year 2013.

His remarks came while addressing the annually held Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture on Governance.

"The facts are facts, and they cannot be disputed. Terrorism in this country has been effectively countered. We had a major incident of terrorism on July 1, 2005, and the last one in 2013 in the hinterland. Except for Jammu and Kashmir, which had been a theatre of a proxy war or a covert warfare for Pakistan, which is a different ballgame, the whole country has remained secure from terrorist attacks. Efforts were made. People were arrested. Explosives are recovered," Doval said

Doval further stated that no terror attacks have occurred in the hinterland even as enemies have remained active. He added that the "left-wing extremism" has reduced sharply since the year 2014.

"Enemies have remained very active, but fortunately, and it's more of a good fortune in the country that we can say that we have had no terrorist incident in the hinterland. The left-wing extremism has reduced to less than 11 per cent areas than what existed in 2014. Most of the districts which had been declared as left-wing prone have been declared safe," the NSA said.

He added that India has been able to establish deterrence, meaning the country can respond to any threat to its national security.

"It is not sufficient to say that we have taken sufficient security measures. What is equally important is that we are able to make every Indian feel secure, both from internal and external forces. While we can deal with them effectively in accordance with government laws and policies, we can create deterrence that credibly convinces them we have the will and the strength to respond to any threat in a manner best for our national security," Doval said.