Narcotics, cybercrime, terrorism among India’s five emerging security threats: Home Secretary

Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan identified narcotics, cybercrime, terrorism, illegal immigration and technology-enabled anonymity as five emerging internal security challenges. Addressing IPS probationers in Hyderabad, he urged officers to master artificial intelligence and counter the misuse of social media.

Hyderabad: Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan on Saturday identified narcotics, cybercrime, terrorism, illegal immigration and the anonymisation of crime through technology as the five major emerging internal security challenges confronting the country.

Addressing the passing-out parade of the 78th batch of IPS probationers at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA) in Hyderabad, Mohan said the conventional internal security landscape had changed irrevocably, with violent Left-Wing Extremism having conclusively ended, insurgency in the Northeast declining significantly and homegrown terrorism reducing to minimal levels.

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However, he cautioned these threats had not disappeared entirely. Recent incidents, including the Red Fort blast in Delhi, indicated that homegrown and foreign-inspired terrorism continued to pose security concerns.

Identifying narcotics as the foremost challenge, he cited a 2019 survey that estimated around 7 per cent of India’s population consumed narcotics in some form.

“Cybercrime was another major concern, facilitated by the easy availability of fake SIM cards, multiple bank accounts and limited technical expertise required to commit such offences. While the Centre had established institutions to tackle cybercrime, the principal responsibility for combating it would rest with State and union Territory police forces”, he said.

Mohan also stressed the need to identify illegal foreign nationals and take action against them in accordance with the law, citing concerns over criminal activities, radicalisation and their impact on markets.

The fifth challenge was the growing anonymity of crime, with criminals using virtual private networks, cryptocurrency exchanges and the dark web to conceal their identities, transfer money and arrange offences.

He urged IPS officers to master emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, and counter the misuse of social media through fake messages and deepfake videos that could trigger law-and-order problems.