Some incidents in world history not only leave deep scars on the soul of a nation but alter the nation’s trajectory irreversibly. The terror attack of September 11, 2001 was one such incident. A perfectly normal morning turned into a horrific nightmare when 19 al-Qaida terrorists hijacked four passenger planes, two of which crashed into the Twin Towers in New York and one into the Pentagon building outside of Washington, D.C. The Twin Towers came crashing down and the result was a death count of almost 3,000. 

The resultant national outrage and anger led to the United States leading its most extensive military mission since the Vietnam War, chasing al-Qaida and its leader Osama bin Laden into Afghanistan. In a military campaign lasting almost 20 years, al-Qaida was largely neutralized and Osama bin Laden was eventually tracked and killed in Pakistan on May 2, 2011. 

The 9/11 attacks led to profound changes in the United States as well, especially in matters of internal security. There was a clear mandate that no matter what, there cannot be another 9/11 type of incident on the American mainland ever again.  

In the Indian context however, it took decades of terror attacks before India similarly said, “no more.” Thanks to a policy crafted by Pakistan in the early 1990s to “bleed India through a thousand cuts” with cross-border terrorism, India endured a large number of terror attacks and losses, especially in Kashmir. But then one terror incident shook India like never before.

The terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025 killed 26 innocent civilians in a popular tourist spot in Kashmir. The attack was launched by terrorists belonging to The Resistance Force, an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The anger and outrage in India were magnified many times over as the victims – all men – were specifically identified by their religion (Hindu, except for one Christian and one local Muslim who tried to intervene). The men were also shot dead in front of their wives.  

The resultant military operation, Operation Sindoor, launched by India into Pakistan on May 7, made clear India’s new resolve against terrorism.

While these two incidents – 9/11 and the Pahalgam attack – were separated by almost 24 years, they are united by two nations’ expressed resolve to fight terror to the ends of the Earth. But as the Pahalgam attack sadly showed, the war against terror has not been won. 

Al-Qaida may not be a force to reckon with in the form it was 25 years ago and it may no longer have leaders like Osama bin Laden who could attract and ideologically indoctrinate youth to join. But many smaller offshoots of al-Qaida still operate across the globe. In the Indian context, while LeT and other Pakistan-based terror groups may have been dealt a punishing blow by India, inputs from Pakistan indicate that there is a strong resolve to revive these groups. Therefore, the fight against terror isn’t over yet. 

It is therefore important to examine how terror is changing form and how nations are constantly evolving their strategies to stay ahead of the curve to counter and neutralize such threats before they manifest.

The Evolution of Terror 

Over the past 25 years, the form terrorism has changed, as have the type of instruments used to carry out terror attacks. Naturally, the strategies to tackle terror have evolved as well. 

Unlike big terror groups like al-Qaida or the Islamic State (IS) in the past, terror groups have now morphed into smaller and more autonomous groups. Lone wolf attacks are now becoming the norm and technologies like drones, cyber, and even artificial intelligence are being used by terror groups. Indirect attacks like cyberattacks on key energy and banking infrastructure are complementing high-impact physical attacks on the population. 

Hierarchical organizations and organized training camps are increasingly giving way to more fluid structures, which operate through affiliations and franchises, encrypted communications, cryptocurrencies, social media, and loosely connected cells. Campaigns seeking territorial control like the IS in Iraq and Syria are being replaced by terror campaigns to disrupt social cohesion within a country and bleed nations financially.

And, accordingly, strategies to fight terror by countries too are evolving rapidly. Counterterrorism has evolved from a predominantly military campaign into a much broader strategy incorporating multiple instruments of state power like intelligence, financial surveillance, border control, cyber monitoring, deradicalization, and international cooperation. When military action is taken, it takes the form of precision operations through cutting-edge standoff weapon platforms.

The India Context

The fight against terror in India had a frustrating beginning. In most cases, the response to terrorist attacks was limited to sectoral military operations, tightening border controls, and issuing warnings to Pakistan. In some cases, it also led to cutting off diplomatic ties for some time. 

The first such terror attack was the hijacking of Air India’s flight IC-814 on December 24, 1999, just a few months after the Kargil war. With very few options then and increasing public pressure, India agreed to release two Pakistan-based terrorists, Ahmed Omar Shiekh and Masood Azhar, in exchange for over 160 civilian hostages. Massod Azhar went on to establish Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), the Pakistan-based terrorist group that later launched a terror attack on the Indian Parliament on December 13, 2001. Caught by surprise, India ordered a full-scale military mobilization under Operation Parakaram, but it ultimately ended without a bullet being fired.

The 26/11 Mumbai terror attack in 2008 was a milestone in many ways. Widely considered as India’s 9/11 moment, it brought global attention to India’s war against terror. Although once again India did not end up punishing Pakistan for the attack, it did lead to a major security review and structural changes. The National Investigative Agency (NIA) was formed as a result, with sweeping powers on matters of internal national security. The NIA is now functioning as the central counterterrorism law enforcement agency in India. 

The mandate of fighting terror expanded to include stronger intelligence coordination, tighter coastal security and border surveillance, specialized forces to fight terror, and cooperation between central and state agencies. The overall responsibility for coastal security was placed under the Indian Navy. 

Tracking and monitoring terror finance too became a key instrument in the fight against terror.  The Multi Agency Center, which was established in December 2001 as a part of the key recommendations of the Kargil Review Committee, also became a key coordination platform for intelligence exchange and cooperation against terror. However, most of India’s anti-terrorism measures remained passive, reactive, and preventive.

The Kinetic Strategy

It was only after 2014, when the Modi government came to power, that the intent to deliver a decisive response to any act of terror grew firm. Counterterrorism operations in Kashmir were given a new momentum and measures to block infiltration across the Line of Control were strengthened. 

A terror attack on September 18, 2016 by JeM terrorists against an army camp in Uri, Kashmir, led to the first cross-border surgical strikes by the Indian Army, which destroyed multiple terrorist camps and infrastructure in Pakistan. It was not only a strong reply to the terror attack but also signaled a major shift in India’s strategic policy and rules of engagement regarding cross-border terrorism. 

While it did deter Pakistan to some extent, it did not end its terror campaign. On February 14, 2019, JeM terrorists unleashed another terror attack, this time on a police convoy in Pulwama, Kashmir, killing 40 soldiers. Upping the ante, this time, the India Air Force launched strikes on a terror camp of JeM in Balakot, Pakistan on February 26. It was the first time that the Indian Air Force had crossed into Pakistani airspace to launch a strike against terror. 

However, it was the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025 that outraged the nation like never before. Modi vowed to track the terrorists “to the ends of the Earth.” With an aim to deliver a decisive blow to the terror network in Pakistan, the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, hitting the heart of the Pakistan-based terror network. Within 96 hours, nine major terrorist camps destroyed and India had even hit key military assets like airfields and radar stations, forcing Pakistan to seek a ceasefire.

However, the Indian experience tells us that the fight against terror is far from over. With Pakistan unlikely to give up on its policy of state-sponsored terror against India, new forms of threats are likely to emerge. India therefore cannot think that Operation Sindoor is enough to deter any future terror attacks from across the border. In the fight against terror, no deterrence strategy can be absolute. It has to evolve, keeping pace with technology and terror tactics, and hope to stay one step ahead. 

A key to this constantly evolving thought is PRAHAAR, India’s first comprehensive National Counter Terrorism Policy & Strategy which was unveiled on February 23, 2026. This provides a national counterterrorism framework for prevention of, and responding   to terrorist activities and radicalization through coordinated “whole of government” and “whole of society” approaches.

Conclusion

As the world marks the 25 years of the 9/11 attack, the lesson is not whether terror has been defeated but whether nations are equipped well enough to disrupt and deter future terror threats. The success of any strategy is measured by its outcomes. Even if one major terror attack succeeds despite hundreds of potential terror attacks being thwarted, the strategy would still be termed a failure. 

The October 7, 2023 Hamas terror attack into Israel is an example: the best of intelligence and overwhelming military superiority could not preempt or prevent the attack. The events of October 7 not only killed almost 1,200 people in Israel but unleashed a brutal conflict in Gaza and West Asia, which still continues to this day. 

For India, the fight against terror predates 9/11. Over 25 years later, that fight continues, strengthened now with a new political-military resolve and constantly evolving methods of deterrence.