Progress, but Perils Remain
Government sources revealed on March 13, 2025, that 76 terrorists are currently active in Jammu and Kashmir, with 59 being foreign operatives, largely from Pakistan-based groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen. This marks a steep decline from the 421 active terrorists reported in 2019, before the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5 that year shifted the region’s security paradigm. The drop—from over 300 in 2020 to 91 in 2024, and now 76—reflects a bolstered counter-terrorism framework. Yet, as the user aptly notes, even one terrorist can disrupt peace, and 76 is far from negligible.
Data underscores this progress. Terrorist-initiated incidents fell from 228 in 2018 to 44 in 2023, per the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. Infiltration attempts, once numbering 143 in 2018, dropped to 28 in 2021. Security forces neutralized 72 terrorists in 2023—50 foreign, 22 local—and 187 in 2022, with local recruitment plummeting by 80% in 2023, according to J&K Police Chief R.R. Swain. Pre-August 2019, the region saw 455 terror incidents in the 402 days prior; post-abrogation, that number halved to 211 over a similar period by September 2020. The Kashmir Valley, long a militancy hub, now hosts just 14 of the 17 local terrorists, with three in Jammu.
Yet, the calm is uneven. Jammu, once largely insurgency-free, reported seven attacks on security forces in 2024, up from three across 2022-2023, signaling a tactical shift by militants exploiting its terrain. Of the 59 foreign terrorists, 35 are LeT, 21 JeM, and three HM, relying on cross-border support along the Line of Control. Meanwhile, 24 soldiers died in 25 terror incidents in 2024, nearing 2023’s toll of 27, showing risks persist.
This foreign dominance—77% of active terrorists—suggests local militancy is waning, a stark contrast to 2018’s 201 new recruits. But it also highlights Pakistan’s unrelenting role, filling ranks with external operatives as local support dries up. Security gains are real: 99 terror-linked properties worth ₹170 crore were seized in 2023, and 89 terror modules busted. Still, allegations of over 8,000 disappearances and human rights abuses by forces cast a shadow, demanding accountability alongside vigilance.
Compared to pre-August 2019, the security situation is undeniably improved—fewer incidents, deaths, and recruits bear this out. But 76 terrorists, especially 59 foreign ones, mean the threat endures. Peace requires more than body counts: addressing local grievances, curbing infiltration, and ensuring justice are vital. Jammu and Kashmir’s progress is encouraging, but the region remains a tinderbox—one spark away from unrest.
