A new counter-terrorism division set up in the external affairs ministry will leverage the latest buzzword in diplomacy.
The division, which is to be headed by an IFS officer of the rank of additional secretary, Mira Shankar, will be tasked with creating a coherent Indian policy on counter-terrorism.
Earlier a joint secretary-level officer who was engaged in policy planning used to co-ordinate counter-terrorism.
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Territorial divisions used to formulate their own responses to issues of terrorism and counter-terrorism. The division on disarmament used to address some of these issues as well.
But as the threat of covert war against the state becomes deeper, a piecemeal approach to counter-terrorism has given way to a more intense policy focus that will involve several agencies including R&AW, Military Intelligence, the National Security Council, and the Union home ministry and will inevitably come to encompass domestic as well as international terrorism.
How should India deal, for instance, with hijacking? The US has a clear-cut policy, emanating out of its Office of Co-ordinator for Counter-terrorism and claims that because its policy is so clear, it deters hijackers.
The policy says: