India’s Contribution to Counter-Terrorism Efforts | 23 May 2024

Source: TH

Why in News?

Recently India has made a significant financial contribution to the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Trust Fund (CTTF), marking a pivotal moment in its ongoing commitment to combating terrorism on a global scale.

• With its current contribution, India's cumulative financial support to the trust fund now stands at $2.55 million.

What is the UN Counter-Terrorism Trust Fund?

• About:
  • The UN Counter-Terrorism Trust Fund (UNCTTF) aims to support global efforts in countering terrorism.
    • It was established in 2009 and incorporated into the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) in 2017.
  • The fund focuses on enhancing the capacity of member states, particularly in Eastern and Southern Africa, to tackle significant challenges such as financing terrorism and curtailing the movement and travel of terrorists.
• Global Programs Supported by UNCTTF:
  • Capacity Building: The Trust Fund assists member states in strengthening their ability to combat terrorism effectively.
    • This assistance includes training for law enforcement agencies, improving legal structures, and enhancing the technical expertise of counter-terrorism personnel.
  • Countering the Financing of Terrorism (CFT): The Trust Fund is vital for preventing and countering terrorism financing by strengthening regulatory frameworks, enhancing financial tracking capabilities, and promoting international cooperation.
  • Countering Terrorist Travel Programme (CTTP): This program seeks to prevent terrorist movements by enhancing border security, utilising advanced passenger information, and promoting international information exchange and best practices.
  • The Trust Fund also supports balanced implementation of the four pillars of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy; addressing terrorism's root causes, combating terrorism, building state capacity, and ensuring human rights are respected.

What is India's Contribution to Global Counter-Terrorism Efforts?

• Bilateral:
  • India conducts meetings of the Joint Working Groups with the United Kingdom, France, and the United States on counter-terrorism.
• Multilateral:
  • BRICS: India has been actively pursuing the issue of terrorism in multilateral forums including BRICS which has yielded positive results including the formation of five sub-working groups under BRICS focusing on terrorist financing, online terrorism, radicalization, foreign terrorist fighters, and capacity-building.
  • UNSC CTC: In 2022, India hosted a special meeting of the UNSC’s Counter Terrorism Committee (CTC) to discuss terror-financing through crypto-currency and use of drones in the new-age terrorism. India listed five points for the consideration of the CTC:
    • Effective and sustained efforts to counter terror-financing.
    • Normative efforts of the UN need to be coordinated with other fora like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
    • Make sure that the Security Council’s sanctions regime is not rendered ineffective because of political reasons.
    • International cooperation and concerted actions against terrorists and their sponsors including the dismantlement of terrorist safe havens, etc. are critical imperatives.
    • Recognise these linkages and strengthen multilateral efforts to break against terrorism’s nexus with a transnational organised crime like arms and illicit drug trafficking.
  • India’s Contribution to UNCTTF: India has been actively supporting programs aimed at combating the threat of terrorism thus underscoring its dedication to supporting multilateral efforts in the fight against terrorism.
  • The financial aid is aimed at bolstering UNOCT’s initiatives, such as the Countering Financing of Terrorism (CFT) and the Countering Terrorist Travel Programme (CTTP).
• Significance:
  • India’s collaborative efforts help in enhancing the capacities of countries’ to combat terrorism financing and prevent the movement of terrorists across borders.
  • By addressing the growing threat of terrorism in Africa (via UNCTTF), India aims to assist African nations in their efforts to counter terrorism and promote regional stability.
    • The steps align with India's emergence as a Global South leader and with India’s priority of zero tolerance for Terrorism.

What are the Challenges Related to Terrorism?

• No Global Definition of Terrorism: The absence of universally accepted definitions for terrorism makes classifying specific activities difficult, granting terrorists an advantage and enabling certain countries to block action at global institutions.
• Expanding Web of Terrorism: The internet offers terrorists an unregulated platform to craft and spread propaganda, tailoring messages to recruit new members and advance their cause across numerous websites and social media platforms.
• Terror Financing: Criminals launder an estimated two to nearly four trillion dollars annually, according to the IMF and World Bank, while terrorists conceal fund movements through charities and alternative remittance systems.
• Cyber Attack: The world is becoming digitally interconnected, with data as a valuable resource, where terrorists exploit cyber attacks to intimidate or coerce governments and societies for their goals.

Way Forward

• International Cooperation Against Terrorism: The international community must overcome political differences to combat terrorism universally, establish a global definition of terrorism, and impose sanctions on state sponsors to ensure global security and peace.
• Enhancing National Security: Strengthening military specialisation and intelligence-sharing can play a key role in enhancing national security and safeguarding against cross-border terrorist threats.
• Curbing Terror Financing: Effective combat against terrorist financing requires cross-border transaction monitoring, network tracking, and international cooperation among law enforcement agencies and adhering to global standards like FATF.
• Developing a Robust Cyber-Defence Mechanism: Establishing an adaptable cyber defence strategy is crucial, requiring a multi-layered approach to combat sophisticated threats from malicious actors targeting individuals, organisations, and critical infrastructure.