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Recently, the United Nations said that a record-breaking 120 million people were living in a forcibly displaced status globally between the beginning of 2023 and May 2024.

Key Findings of the Report On Forced Displacement in 2024

• Data on Forced Displacements: An estimated 117.3 million people remained forcibly displaced at the end of 2023, having been forced to flee persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations and events seriously disturbing public order.
  • In May, 120 million people were displaced globally, nearly 10% more than the figures from 2022, representing around 1.5% of the world’s population.
• Massive Displacement Crisis: The report highlighted flashpoints worldwide where conflict and violence had forced people from their homes. 
  • The fighting in Sudan which broke out in April 2023 was cited as causing one of “the largest humanitarian and displacement crises in the world” with more than 6 million people forced to flee by December 2023
• Countries Affected by Conflict: Myanmar, Afghanistan, Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Haiti, Syria and Armenia were among the countries mentioned where conflict and violence had forced people to seek safety elsewhere.
• Refugee and Migrant Destinations: The report pointed out that 75% of refugees and migrants headed to low and middle-income countries, countering the perception that most were heading to wealthy countries.
• Top Countries for Asylum Applications: The report did, however, state that half of all new asylum applications were received in just five countries with the vast majority being made in the US with 1.2 million. 
  • This was followed by Germany with 329,100 followed by Egypt, Spain and Canada.

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Recently, the President of India has rejected the mercy petition of Mohammed Arif, a Pakistani national sentenced to death for the 2000 Red Fort attack that killed three people.

• The President’s decision on May 27 came after Arif failed to obtain relief from the Delhi High Court and Supreme Court in his appeals against a trial court order of October 2005.

About Mercy Petition

• About: A mercy petition is a formal request made by a person sentenced to death or imprisonment, seeking clemency from the President or Governor.
• Global Practice: The concept of mercy petitions is observed in many countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and India.
• Grounds for Mercy Petition: Mercy or clemency is not a right that the prisoner can claim. It is granted based on considerations such as the prisoner’s health, physical or mental condition, and their role as the sole breadwinner for their family.

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Constitutional Provisions of Mercy Power of President

• Provisions: In India, a mercy petition to the President is the final constitutional resort for a convict sentenced by a court of law. 
  • Under Article 72 of the Indian Constitution, a convict can present a mercy petition to the President of India. 
  • Similarly, under Article 161, the power to grant pardons is conferred upon the Governors of States.
• Article 72: The President has the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites, or remissions of punishment or to suspend, remit, or commute the sentence of any person convicted of any offense: In cases where the punishment or sentence is by a Court Martial;
  • For offences against laws relating to matters under the executive power of the Union, in cases where the sentence is a death sentence.
• Article 161: The Governor of a State has the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites, or remissions of punishment or to suspend, remit, or commute the sentence of any person convicted of any offence against any law relating to matters under the executive power of the State.
• Supreme Court Ruling: In 2021, the Supreme Court held that the Governor of a State can pardon prisoners, including those on death row, even before they have served a minimum of 14 years of their prison sentence.

Process of Mercy Petitions

• Eligibility and Timing: As notified by the Superintendent of Police, a convict facing a death sentence can file a mercy petition within seven days of the Supreme Court dismissing their appeal.
• Filing the Petition: The convict or their relative submits a written petition to the President or governor, citing grounds such as sole breadwinner ship, physical/mental health, perceived harshness of the law, or judicial errors.
• Review Process: The petition is forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs for assessment and recommendations, including consultation with the relevant State government.
• Presidential Discretion: Based on Home Ministry recommendations and the Council of Ministers’ advice, the President can accept or reject the mercy plea without a specified time limit.
• Governor’s Authority: While governors cannot pardon death sentences, they can commute, remit, or reprieve sentences under their state’s executive powers for offences against state laws.

Judicial Interventions on Mercy Petitions

• Ranga Billa Case: In the Ranga Billa Case, the court emphasised that the grant or rejection of a mercy petition is entirely discretionary, and reasons for these decisions are not mandatory.
• Kehar Singh vs Union of India: According to the Kehar Singh vs Union of India (1989) case, the court asserted that presidential pardon is an act of grace, not a right that can be claimed. The exercise of this power is purely administrative and not subject to judicial review.
• Dhananjoy Chatterjee (alias Dhana) vs State of West Bengal : (In the Dhananjoy Chatterjee (alias Dhana) vs State of West Bengal (1994) case, the Supreme Court clarified that the pardoning powers under Articles 72 and 161 of the Constitution can only be exercised by the Central and State Governments, respectively, and not autonomously by the President or Governor.
• Mohd. Afzal Guru vs State of Delhi (2014) case: In the Mohd. Afzal Guru vs State of Delhi (2014) case, the court mandated a minimum 14-day gap between the rejection of a mercy petition and the execution of a death penalty, ensuring adequate time for legal recourse.
• Maru Ram v. Union of India (1981): In Maru Ram v. Union of India (1981), the Supreme Court ruled that the power to grant pardons under Article 72 of the Constitution must be exercised based on the advice of the Council of Ministers.
• Epuru Sudhakar & Anr. v. Government of Andhra Pradesh (2006): In the case of Epuru Sudhakar & Anr. v. Government of Andhra Pradesh (2006), the Supreme Court ruled that the clemency powers of the President and Governor under Article 72 and Article 161 are subject to judicial review. 
  • The court identified specific grounds under which the petitioner can seek judicial review:
    • Orders passed without proper application of mind.
    • Orders passed in bad faith (malafide).
    • Orders are based on entirely irrelevant considerations.
    • Orders exhibiting arbitrariness.
• Procedural Guidelines: At a procedural level, the apex court has held that the President’s power must be exercised based on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers and can be challenged on multiple grounds
  • including that relevant material was not considered, the power was exercised based on political considerations, or there was no application of mind. 
• Commutation due to delay: The top court has also commuted the death sentence in cases of inordinate delay in deciding mercy petitions, such as Shatrugan Chauhan v. State of U.P. (2014).
  • The court also commuted the sentence of one Gurmeet Singh after he spent 27 years in custody (and 21 years on death row). 
  • In April 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the Bombay High Court’s decision to commute the death sentence of a woman and her sister due to significant delays in deciding their mercy petitions.

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Legal Framework

• Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860: Specifies capital offences, including murder (Section 302), treason (Section 121), terrorism-related crimes (Section 121A), and others punishable by death.
• Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973: This law ensures procedural protections for defendants in death penalty cases, such as mandatory confirmation of the sentence by a higher court (Section 366) and the right to appeal (Section 374).
• Special Legislation: Various special laws like the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA), Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS), and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) also stipulate capital punishment for specific offences.

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Beijing is deploying cognitive tools like simulated audio visuals against Taiwan to demonstrate its ability to fight and win a future war.

About Grey Zone Warfare

• Grey Zone Warfare is a new, emerging battlefield-centric concept defined as the use of coercive measures to exploit the operational space between peace and war. 
  • These measures deliberately stay below a threshold so as not to prompt a conventional military response to alter the status quo, which otherwise would have been attracted.
• Origin: Its beginning is attributed to the Cold War era from 1945 when the development of nuclear weapons meant direct conflicts had to be restrained as the cost of conventional conflict had grown too steep and the risk of escalation too profound. 
• Methods: Grey Zone Warfare is characterized by subthreshold activities, including kinetic and non-kinetic methods by conventional military force and irregular proxies. 
  • Kinetic: It is the use of proxies for on-ground action or change of territorial status quo through coercion or militarisation of disputed features.
    • Example: China’s action in the South China Sea or Russia’s invasion of Crimea 
  • Non-kinetic: These are provocative activities ranging from nefarious economic activities, influence operations, and cyberattacks to mercenary operations, assassinations, disinformation campaigns, economic actions such as debt traps and sanctions, election meddling, etc.
• Prime Objective: 
  • Escalation Bait: The aggressor country’s small actions could be designed as bait for the other party to escalate, which would then give the aggressor a free hand to respond in kind, legitimized as a form of self-defense.
  • Projection of strength: The countries often show off their abilities. They also aim to normalise disputed territorial claims by repeatedly marking a presence in those regions.

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Techniques Used by China against Taiwan

• Cognitive Warfare: The People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command (PLA ETC) Weibo account recently released a 3D animation video depicting an invasion scenario of Taiwan’s areas in Taipei and Kaohsiung with land warship-based ballistic missile launchers.
• Sustained Military Pressure: China has maintained sustained pressure on Taiwan’s defense and Intelligence forces since 2020, with daily sorties conducted by PLA fighter jets, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), strategic fighters, and early warning aircraft inducing wear-out within Taiwanese forces.
• Intelligence Gathering: The UAVs are deployed to conduct intelligence work in the areas surrounding the island. 
• Ideological and Psychological Warfare: Beijing often pushes narratives within Taiwanese territory that thrust ideological choices upon its citizens by initiating public discussions on social media and garnering attention for the Chinese cause.
  • For example, A YouTube video of a Chinese citizen operating a drone to drop cardboard boxes on Kinmen Island had fliers written in simplified Chinese, stating, “Both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China, one Chinese nation. Taiwan’s independence is a dead end.
• Economic warfare: China has taken coercive economic measures, leveraging the cross-strait trade and business interdependence to seek concessions. 
  • Example: China has unilaterally suspended the preferential tax rates for chemical imports from Taiwan, granted under the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), as a retaliation against Mr. Lai’s propagation of “separatist” sentiments.

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The EU’s recently passed EU AI Act, which will be rolled out in phases over the next two years, has ignited a battle over data transparency.

Key Highlights On New AI Rules of European Union

• Template: The EU’s AI Office plans to release a template for organisations to provide “detailed summaries” of the content/ data used by organisations who deploy general-purpose AI models, such as ChatGPT, to train their AI models following a consultation with stakeholders.
• Objective: To ensure an appropriate balance between the legitimate need to protect trade secrets and, on the other hand, the protection of privacy and creators’ rights over their content, including copyright holders’ rights to exercise their rights under Union law.
• Datasets as Trade Secret: AI companies are highly resistant to revealing what their models have been trained on, describing the information as a trade secret that would give competitors an unfair advantage if made public.
• Ethically Sourced Content: Technology companies have signed a flurry of content-licensing deals with media outlets and websites. 
  • Example: OpenAI signed deals with the Financial Times and The Atlantic, while Google struck deals with NewsCorp (NWSA.O), opening a new tab social media site Reddit.

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Need for Transparency Rules

• Breach of copyright: In the past few years, a few big tech companies, including Google, OpenAI, and Stability AI, have faced lawsuits from creators claiming their content was improperly used to train their models.
• Ensure fair remuneration: There is a growing call for tech companies to pay fairly, the copyrights holders for data used by them to train their AI models.
• Right of consent and privacy: Every creator should have the right to know if their work, songs, voice, art, or science was used in training the algorithm.
  • Example: OpenAI has faced backlash for featuring an AI-generated voice described as “eerily similar” to her own by actress Scarlett Johansson in a public demonstration of the newest version of ChatGPT.

Challenges

The Data transparency rules have the potential to hinder the European AI startups’ competitiveness.

• Affect Europe’s AI ecosystem: The rules can result in the shift of the AI ecosystem from Europe to other countries and Europe can be  reduced into becoming a consumer of American and Chinese products.
• Bad Regulation: Pre Mature regulation of emerging Technologies like AI can hinder innovation in the sector running the risk of regulating technologies that haven’t been mastered, or regulating them badly because it has not been mastered.
• Widespread Implication: The rules will have big implications for smaller AI startups and big tech companies like Google (GOOGL.O), and Meta (META.O), which have put the technology at the centre of their future operations.

Way Forward

• Awareness of Rights: People should have the awareness that they are communicating  or interacting  with an AI system as well as duly informing users of the capabilities and limitations of that AI system and affected persons about their rights.
• Traceability: AI systems shall be developed and used in a way that allows appropriate traceability and explainability  in case of any wrong and harmful information. 
• Transparency: The technical infrastructure of AI systems should be transparent in their functioning so that users can understand the process and logic behind the decisions made. 
  • This includes providing an explanation of how an AI system arrived at its decisions, as well as information on the data used to train the system and the accuracy of the system.
• Risk based disclosure Framework: To address the industry concerns and to drive innovation the Rules should not be blindly applied to all the AI systems, rather needs to be rationalised as per the risk it poses.
  • Example: For deep fake-generating systems, it must be disclosed that the content has been artificially generated or manipulated in a clearly visible manner.

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The World Bank recently released its June 2024 Global Economic Prospects, in which it forecasts India to remain the fastest-growing major economy, expecting an average annual growth rate of 6.7% from FY25 to FY27.

• The World Bank has revised India’s upward growth projections by 0.2 percentage points for FY25 and FY26, now forecasting growth rates of 6.6% and 6.7%, respectively. 
  • This update reflects an improvement in the economic outlook compared to earlier estimates.

About Global Economic Prospects Report

• This report was released by the World Bank. 
• It analyzes current global economic trends and future outlook.

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Key Highlights of India’s Economic Growth Forecast- 2023-2027

• Strong Growth Outlook:  
  • India’s economic growth is projected to reach 8.2% in 2023-24, which is 1.9 percentage points higher than the World Bank estimated in January.
  • Moderation In India’s Growth:  The World Bank anticipates a moderation in India’s growth rate to an average of 6.7% annually from FY25 to FY27. 
    • This slowdown is attributed to reduced investment following a period of high growth.
• Factors Driving Growth:
  • Investment Growth will likely remain robust, supported by strong public and private sector investments. 
    • Public investment will be particularly significant.
  • Private Consumption is set to benefit from improved agricultural production and decreasing inflation rates.
  • Government Expenditure is projected to grow slowly as part of reducing current spending relative to GDP.
• Global Economic Outlook:
  • Economic Stabilization: Globally, economic growth is forecasted to stabilize at 2.6% this year, marking the first time in three years despite geopolitical tensions and high interest rates.
    • Growth is expected to slightly increase to 2.7% in 2025-26, driven by modest gains in trade and investment.
  • Inflation worldwide: Moderate inflation is possible worldwide, though at a slower pace than previously assumed, averaging 3.5% this year.
• South Asia’s Economic Scenario: Growth in the South Asia region, primarily led by India, is projected to slow to 6.2% in 2024 and maintain this rate in 2025-26. 
  • This reflects steady economic expansion aligned with the region’s potential growth, albeit weaker than pre-pandemic levels.

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IIT Kharagpur’s Study on Groundwater Depletion in North India has shown high drought risk.

Groundwater Depletion in North India, IIT Kharagpur Study

• Title: “Assessment of Future Trends and Spatial Orientation of Groundwater Resources as an Essential Climate Variable in the Ganga Basin”
• Published:  This study was published on May 16, 2023, in Groundwater for Sustainable Development (Elsevier)
• The research aligns with India’s “Viksit Bharat 2047” initiative, which aims to develop a sustainable future for the country. 
  • The data can be used to inform infrastructure projects and urban planning strategies that promote water conservation.

Groundwater Depletion in North India, Key Findings of the Study

• Alarming Rate of Groundwater Loss
  • Groundwater: A study found that large parts of North India are facing alarming groundwater depletion.
    • Throughout the year, approximately 75% of the Ganga basin experiences groundwater drought, with the prevalence slightly decreasing during the monsoon and increasing to about 78.5% post-monsoon.

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• • • Severity Increase: Before the monsoon, the severity of groundwater drought is reported to have escalated by 22 times compared to other times of the year.
    • Major cities: Cities like Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, and others are highly vulnerable to droughts due to dropping water tables.

• Causes of Depletion
  • Overexploitation of groundwater: Excessive use of groundwater for irrigation and other purposes.
  • Shifting climate patterns: Changes in rainfall patterns can impact groundwater recharge.
  • Unsustainable urban planning: Lack of Urban development and planning is a major cause for declining  natural groundwater as  Ganga basin is one of the most densely populated river basins in the world. 
• Impact of Depletion
  • Increased risk of droughts: Declining groundwater levels make many regions more susceptible to droughts.
  • Socio-economic impact: Water scarcity can affect agriculture, businesses, and people’s way of life.
• Recommendations
  Study has recommended various methods to counter the issue of groundwater depletion.
  • Groundwater recharge: Implementing rainwater harvesting and other methods to replenish groundwater.
  • Sustainable water use: Practicing water conservation techniques in agriculture and daily life.
  • Improved urban planning: Designing cities that promote groundwater recharge.

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The study emphasizes the immediate requirement for implementing sustainable groundwater management practices to prevent severe droughts and ensure water security in northern India.

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A new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change reported a significant decrease in atmospheric hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) five years before the target year.

Key Findings  of the Study On Ozone-depleting HCFCs

The study is titled as “A decrease in radiative forcing and equivalent effective chlorine from hydrochlorofluorocarbons”

• Peaking of Emissions: HCFC emissions peaked in 2021, five years earlier than anticipated in 2026.
• Impact of HCFCs: Their impact on the Earth’s energy balance (known as radiative forcing) and the amount of chlorine in the atmosphere (called equivalent effective chlorine) have decreased since 2021, five years earlier than expected.
• • The global direct radiative forcing from HCFCs: It decreased to 61.28 milliWatt per square metre (mW m−2) in 2023 down from 61.67 mW m−2 in 2022.
  • The equivalent effective chlorine (EECl) of HCFCs decreased to 319.33 one part per trillion (ppt) in 2023 from 321.35 ppt in 2022. 
• Future Projection: The HCFCs will return to their 1980 values in 2082 for radiative forcing and in 2087 for the EECI, as projected by the research.
• HCFC-22: It is the most abundant HCFC in the atmosphere with a global warming potential 1,910 times that of carbon dioxide on a 100 year time horizon. It has witnessed the most significant decline resulting in a drop in the radiative forcing and EECI  between 2021 and 2023. 
  • HCFC-22 usage: It is used as a refrigerant in a variety of applications, including unitary air conditioners, cold storage, retail food refrigeration, chillers, and industrial process refrigeration.

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• Other HCFCs: A minor decline was also observed in HCFC-141b (the second most abundant) from 24.63 ppt in 2022 to 24.51 ppt in 2023. 
  • The third most prevalent, HCFC-142b, has been progressively declining since 2017.
• India is ahead of  eliminating HCFCs in new equipment manufacturing, as claimed by the government in a report released during the COP28 to UNFCCC held in Dubai 2023.
• The Role of Montreal Protocol in curbing HCFC emissions.
  • The Copenhagen (1992) and Beijing (1999) Amendments to the Montreal Protocol mandates the phase-out of HCFC production and usage.
    • Phase out Target: The production of HCFCs is currently being phased out globally, with a completion date slated for 2040.
  • Role: The Montreal Protocol enforced  strict controls and promoted the adoption of ozone-friendly alternatives, curbing the release and levels of HCFCs into the atmosphere.

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For the first time, researchers at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute have successfully induced broadly neutralising antibodies (bNAbs) against HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) through vaccination.

• These studies introduce two nanoparticle-based vaccine candidates, N332-GT5 and eOD-GT8, designed to elicit broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) against HIV.

Background of HIV Vaccines

• Historical Context: More than four decades after the first reported cases of AIDS, the scientific community remains steadfast in its pursuit of an effective HIV vaccine.
• First Reported Case: In 1981, Dr. Michael Gottlieb’s groundbreaking paper reported the first cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), initiating a global health crisis. 
  • Unlike many infectious diseases that have been controlled through vaccination, HIV remains a formidable challenge.

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Challenges in HIV Vaccine Development

• Challenge of HIV Variants: To illustrate, HIV can have more variants circulating within a single patient at any given time than the total number of strains challenging the development of an effective vaccine.
• HIV’s Immune Evasion: HIV evolves rapidly, outpacing the immune system’s ability to produce effective antibodies. This fast mutation rate renders traditional vaccination strategies ineffective.

Mechanisms of Immune Response

• Function of B-Cells: B-cells generate antibodies that target specific viral proteins. Upon encountering a matching protein fragment, B-cells refine their antibodies to effectively bind to the virus and neutralize it.
• Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies (bNAbs): Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) can neutralize multiple variants of a virus, such as HIV, by targeting conserved regions on viral proteins crucial for infection. 
  • This makes them promising candidates for vaccine development and therapy against highly mutable viruses.

Advances in Vaccine Research

• Germline Targeting Approach: The germline targeting strategy includes three steps: identifying and activating B-cells capable of maturing into producers of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs), enhancing these cells to produce more potent bNAbs, and refining the antibodies to neutralize a wide range of HIV strains.
• N332-GT5: The N332-GT5 vaccine candidate targets the N332 glycan site on the surface of the HIV virus. 
  • It activates B-cells capable of producing broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) against this site, aiming to induce an immune response that protects against a diverse array of HIV strains.
• eOD-GT8 vaccine: The eOD-GT8 vaccine candidate targets the eOD protein region of the HIV virus. Utilizing nanoparticles as carriers, eOD-GT8 seeks to boost the immune system’s capacity to detect and neutralize HIV, thereby promoting the production of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs).
• mRNA Vaccines: The mRNA-based approach is praised for its potential because of its ease of development and production. Antibodies produced in response to these vaccines exhibited binding patterns comparable to well-known bNAbs.

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Recently, International Fatty Liver Day 2024 was celebrated as in the month of June. 

International Fatty Liver Day 2024

• Theme for International Fatty Liver Day 2024 – ‘Act Now, Screen Today‘.
• This special day highlights a fatty liver disease that impacts about 1 in 4 people worldwide.

About Fatty Liver Disease

Fatty liver disease occurs when fat accumulates in the liver.

• The liver is the largest organ inside the body.
• It is closely connected to metabolic health, cardiac health, and cancer risk.
• Impact of fat: Excessive fat in the liver can lead to inflammation, causing damage and scarring.
  • In severe situations, this scarring can result in liver failure.

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• Reclassification: The condition is now known as ‘Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease’ (MASLD).
  • Global Prevalence: This disease affects 25-30% of the global population.
    • MASLD is closely linked to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol levels.
  • India’s Statistics: In 2022, a study showed that 38.6% of Indian adults and 36% of obese children had fatty liver.
• There are two types of this disease. 
  • Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): It affects individuals who consume little to no alcohol.
  • Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (Alcoholic Steatohepatitis): This disease arises when Fat builds up due to excessive alcohol consumption.

Risk Factors for Fatty Liver Disease

• Obesity: Being overweight, especially around the abdomen, raises the risk of fatty liver disease.
• Type 2 Diabetes and Insulin Resistance: People with diabetes or pre-diabetes are more prone to developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
  • Insulin Production: Excess glucose leads to high insulin levels, causing insulin resistance.
  • Fat Storage: Insulin resistance promotes the storage of fatty acids in the liver, leading to fatty liver disease.
• Diet and Lifestyle: A diet high in sugar and processed foods.
  • Physical Activity: Low levels of physical activity contribute to fatty liver.
  • Digestive Issues: Problems with digestion also play a role.
  • High Blood Cholesterol and Triglycerides
• Blood Lipids: Elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels can lead to fatty liver.
• Genetic Factors: Some individuals may have a genetic tendency to develop fatty liver.

Disease Progression: Over time, fatty liver can develop into steatohepatitis and cirrhosis, which may require a liver transplant.

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Recently, a bus carrying pilgrims was ambushed by terrorists in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.

• Nine pilgrims were killed, and 33 were injured. The driver lost control of the bus, causing it to plunge into a gorge.

Reasi Terror Attacks

• Second Terror Attack on Pilgrims in the Area: The terror attack in Reasi’s Pouni area, near Rajouri district, is the second targeting of pilgrims there. 
  • In May 2022, a bomb planted by terrorists caused a bus from Katra to Jammu to catch fire, killing 4 Vaishno Devi pilgrims and injuring 24 other pilgrims.
• Expansion of Terror Attacks in New Regions: The recent terror attack highlights a potential expansion of terrorist activities into new regions, as the Reasi district had previously remained unaffected by the recent wave of attacks in the neighbouring districts of Rajouri and Poonch.
• Casualties: Since 2021, 38 soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed in militant attacks in Rajouri and Poonch districts.

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About Terrorism

Currently, there is no universal legal definition of terrorism.

• However, the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) defines terrorism as Any person commits an offence within the meaning of this Convention if that person, by any means, unlawfully and intentionally, causes:

• • Death or serious bodily injury to any person; or
  • Serious damage to public or private property, including a place of public use, a State or government facility, a public transportation system, an infrastructure facility or the environment or
  • Damage to property, places, facilities, or systems resulting or likely to result in a major economic loss when the purpose of the conduct, by its nature or context, intimidates a population or compels a Government or an international organisation to do or abstain from doing any act.

Status of Terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir

• Decline Since Abrogation of Article 370:  The Indian Home Minister noted a 66% decrease in terrorist incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in January.
• Resurgence of Terrorist attacks in Rajouri and Poonch: Reasi, Rajouri, and Poonch saw active militants during the 1990s but there was a containment of insurgency until 2021. Over the past three years, there has been a resurgence of Terrorist attacks in these areas.
  • Strengthened counter-infiltration grid in the Kashmir Valley: may have redirected terrorist actions towards Jammu districts.
  • Search for new battlegrounds: Unlike Rajouri and Poonch, Reasi is not close to the Line of Control (LoC), but security forces’ pressure in nearby districts may have prompted militants to seek new battlegrounds.
• Presence of Established Terror Networks: 
  • The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) conditions on Pakistan-led terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) have forced them to operate through proxies to evade international scrutiny.
  • The Resistance Front (TRF), a reported proxy group, claimed responsibility for a recent attack in J&K, as per J&K police records.
  • In 2022, most militants killed in J&K belonged to either Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) or The Resistance Front (TRF), indicating the persistence of clandestine networks established over three decades.
• Concerns over New Infiltration of Terrorist Groups: Jammu and Kashmir police raised concerns about a rise in terrorist incidents in the valley, possibly linked to a newly infiltrated group.

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Reasons Behind Increased Terror Attacks In Jammu

• Thinning of Regional Forces: In 2020, Rashtriya Rifles (RR) units were relocated from Poonch, Rajouri, and Reasi districts to Ladakh reducing security presence and emboldening militants. 
• Increased Army Operations in the Kashmir Valley: Terrorism’s focus has shifted to Jammu over the past three years due to increased Army operations reducing militants’ operating space in the Kashmir Valley.
• Challenging Terrain: The Jammu region’s vast and complex terrain has been exploited by Pakistan-based terror organisations to send armed terrorists across the International Border (IB) and LoC, occasionally using tunnels.
• Geography Advantage:  The Pir Panjal range, spanning these districts, offers seasonal access to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) through passes and provides militants with escape routes and attack launchpads.
  • The recent Reasi strike, where militants ambushed a bus carrying pilgrims from a forest, underscores this operational strategy.
• Attempt to Derail the Upcoming Assembly Elections:  A spike in terrorist violence across Jammu and Kashmir is seen as a calculated move to derail the upcoming assembly elections and spread fear among residents. 
• High-Tech, Well-Trained Militants: The militants are using local phones and offline apps to communicate, making the security forces harder to track.
• Lack of Human Intelligence Network: Human intelligence is crucial in counter-insurgency operations. The absence of a strong network of informers remains a challenge as militants and their network of overground workers persist.

Measures Undertaken to deal with Terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir

• Broadening of Anti-terror Operations: Over the past four years, security forces in Jammu and Kashmir have broadened anti-terror operations to target entire terror networks and their financial support systems.
• Increased Use of Anti-Terror Laws: The use of laws like the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and the Public Safety Act (PSA) has been a key strategy in cracking down on these networks.
• Efforts to Dismantle Over Ground Worker (OGW) networks:  Efforts have focused on dismantling Over Ground Worker (OGW) networks accused of providing logistical support to militants.
• Constitution of the multi-agency Terror Monitoring Group (TMG) and the State Investigation Agency (SIA): The Jammu and Kashmir administration has constituted the TMG and SIA to counter-terrorism in the region. These agencies have cracked down on the Over Ground Worker (OGW) networks, leading to the arrest of over 1,900 persons accused of providing logistical support to militants.
• Constitution of Special Investigation Units (SIU) by Jammu and Kashmir Police: In 2022, the J&K police constituted Special Investigation Units (SIU) in each police district owing to a high pile-up of UAPA cases. The main idea behind this was to designate officers in every district to effectively investigate these cases and secure convictions in the courts.
• Expanded Security Measures: Security operations in Jammu and Kashmir have expanded significantly beyond physical encounters. Official records indicate a broadened scope that includes widespread detentions under security laws, enforcement directorate (ED) and tax raids aimed at disrupting alleged funding networks, and crackdowns on Overground Worker (OGW) networks and their connections.
• Emphasis on Community Support to Tackle Terrorism: Fostering trust and cooperation between local communities and security forces can facilitate effective intelligence gathering and early prevention of terrorist activities. 

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India’s Framework To Deal With Terrorism

• Legislative Measures:
  • Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA): The UAPA is an anti-terrorism law first enacted in 1967. Its primary objective is to effectively prevent and deal with activities that pose a threat to India’s sovereignty and integrity.
  • NIA (Amendment) Act, 2019: This Bill gives NIA officers power to investigate offences committed outside India too and mandates the setting up of Special Courts.
• Other Measures: 
  • Terror Funding and Fake Currency (TFFC) Cell: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has constituted a new cell to conduct a focused investigation of terror funding and fake currency cases.
  • Focus on Currency Counterfeit: By preventing terrorists from accessing counterfeit currency, authorities can disrupt their financial networks and reduce their ability to fund and carry out attacks effectively. 
  • Fake Indian currency note (FICN) Coordination Group: The Ministry of Home Affairs has formed the FICN Coordination Group (FCORD) to share intelligence/information among the security agencies of the states/centres to counter the problem of the circulation of fake currency notes.
  • The National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID): To track potential terrorists and stop terrorist attacks, NATGRID will use technologies like big data and analytics to analyse vast volumes of data from various intelligence and law enforcement organisations.

Measures needed to curb Terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir

• Capacity Building and Strengthening Intelligence: Enhancing the skills and resources of security personnel, combined with improved intelligence-gathering and sharing, ensures more effective prevention and response to terrorist threats.
• Improve Coordination between Security Agencies: There is a need to further  improve coordination between domestic and international agencies to preempt terrorist activities. The Linkages between terrorism and transnational organised crime must be fully recognized and addressed vigorously. 
• Securing Borders: Strengthen border security to prevent the infiltration of terrorists and the smuggling of arms and funds.
• Curbing Terror Funding: Terrorist financing involves the solicitation, collection or provision of funds with the intention that they may be used to support terrorist acts or organisations. Funds may stem from both legal and illicit sources.
  • There is a need to target and disrupt the financial networks of terrorist organisations by enforcing anti-money laundering laws and tracking illicit transactions.
  • Recently concluded ‘No Money for Terror (NMFT)’ Conference is a step in the right direction.
• Address the Issue of Radicalisation: Address the issue of radicalisation by creating effective counter-narratives and neutralising radicalised individuals. Additionally, rehabilitate them into mainstream society through education and vocational training programs.
• Community Engagement: Foster community policing and build trust between law enforcement and local communities to encourage reporting of suspicious activities.

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Conclusion

The recent attack in Reasi underscores the need for heightened vigilance by the central government, as it moves towards honouring its commitment to holding assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and restoring statehood as soon as possible.

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