Counter-Terror Doctrine: Restraint to Retaliation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi marks 25 uninterrupted years in public executive office on Tuesday, October 7, establishing a zero-tolerance security framework that transformed India’s counter-terrorism doctrine from strategic restraint to direct punitive strikes across borders. His quarter-century tenure, spanning term as the Chief Minister of Gujarat and his leadership as Prime Minister, prioritised national security, intelligence strengthening, and police modernisation. The foundation of his internal security approach was laid during his 12.5-year tenure as Gujarat chief minister. As the head of a state with a strategically important coastline and international border, Narendra Modi, as the Chief Minister, prioritised strengthening Gujarat’s maritime and land borders. According to officials in the knowhow of strategic policy-making, the administration under Narendra Modi, first in the state and then at the Centre, laid a strong emphasis on improving intelligence gathering, modernising the police force and advocating tougher laws to combat terrorism. As Gujarat CM, one of the major security challenges he faced was the Akshardham temple attack on September 24, 2002. He quickly recognised the gravity of the situation and decided to bypass the usual bureaucratic delays in responding to the crisis. He coordinated with the Centre to airlift National Security Guard (NSG) commandos, who led Operation Vajra Shakti. The terrorists were eventually neutralised by daybreak. The next challenge was the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts by the Indian Mujahideen. This incident is still considered to be one of the most audacious attacks by the Indian Mujahideen. As many as 21 blasts were triggered in a span of 70 minutes killing 56 innocent people. As CM, he oversaw a unit of Gujarat Police transitioning into specialised tactical unit. The team was given operational freedom and, in the days ahead, it went to crack the Indian Mujahideen’s nationwide logistics network within a month. When Narendra Modi took the charge of Prime Minister’s office, he made it clear that his government wasn’t seen as soft on terror, rather punishing the country’s enemies with punitive strikes. It chose not to send diplomatic notes to countries like Pakistan following any terror incident and rather replied back in the same coin. The first visible shift after PM Modi assumed office was during the Uri terror attack in 2016. As many as 19 Indian soldiers were martyred after terrorists of the Jaish-e-Mohammed stormed an army camp and opened fire.