### NSA Doval's Blunt Take: India 'Secure' from Terror Outside J&K, But Kashmir Remains Pakistan's Proxy Battlefield
In a no-nonsense address that underscored India's evolving security landscape, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval asserted that terrorism has been "effectively countered" nationwide, with the country remaining largely free from major attacks—except in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Delivering the Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture on Governance during Rashtriya Ekta Diwas on October 31, 2025, Doval emphasized data over narratives, declaring, "Facts are facts, and they cannot be disputed."
#### The Core Assertion: A Decade of Relative Peace Outside J&K
Doval highlighted a stark statistic: No major terrorist attack has occurred anywhere in India outside J&K since 2013. He framed this as evidence of robust counter-terrorism measures, crediting intelligence-led operations, enhanced border security, and a shift toward proactive deterrence. "The entire country has remained secure from terrorist attacks, except for Jammu and Kashmir," he stated, positioning J&K as an isolated "theatre of proxy war" orchestrated by Pakistan to destabilize India.
This comes amid ongoing tensions in J&K, where recent incidents—like the October 20, 2025, ambush in Poonch that killed seven soldiers—underscore persistent threats from cross-border infiltration and local radicalization. Doval's remarks align with the government's post-Article 370 revocation narrative, which has seen a reported 70% drop in terror incidents in the region since 2019, though critics argue underreporting and sporadic violence persist.
#### Blaming the Neighbor: Pakistan's Role in the 'Proxy War'
Doval didn't mince words on external culpability, accusing Pakistan of using J&K as a low-cost arena to wage asymmetric warfare. "J&K had been a theatre of a proxy war for Pakistan," he said, pointing to state-sponsored militancy as the root of regional instability. This echoes his long-standing views, including post-Pulwama surgical strikes rhetoric, and serves as a diplomatic signal amid stalled India-Pakistan dialogues.
#### Broader Context and Implications
Doval's lecture, themed around governance and national unity, wove security into a larger vision of "Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat." He praised the integration of technology—like AI-driven surveillance and drone defenses—in fortifying India's borders, but cautioned that complacency could invite resurgence. For the public, it's a morale booster amid global uncertainties; for policymakers, a call to sustain focus on J&K's development to undercut terror's appeal.
Reactions on X have been polarized: Supporters hail it as proof of Modi's strong security posture, while detractors question the "exception" clause, citing urban Naxal threats or cyber vulnerabilities. As India eyes the 2026 elections, Doval's "facts-first" approach reinforces the narrative of progress with unfinished business in Kashmir.
This statement isn't just rhetoric—it's a benchmark for measuring future threats. With the hearing on the Gujarat inheritance case looming (unrelated but timely in national news cycles), it reminds us: In security, as in estates, overlooked details can spark battles. What's your read—victory lap or wake-up call?
National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval asserted that India has been able to effectively counter terrorism, claiming that the last major incident happened in 2013. With Jammu and Kashmir as an exception, Doval said the entire country has remained secure from terrorist attacks."The facts are facts, and they cannot be disputed. Terrorism in this country has been effectively countered. We had a major incident of terrorism on July 1, 2005, and the last one in 2013 in the hinterland. Except for Jammu and Kashmir, which had been a theatre of a proxy war or a covert warfare for Pakistan, which is a different ballgame, the whole country has remained secure from terrorist attacks. Efforts were made. People were arrested. Explosives are recovered," ANI news agency quoted Doval as saying in his Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture on Governance.
He said that terrorist incidents have occurred in the hinterland despite enemies being active, adding that the "left-wing extremism" has reduced to less than 11 per cent of areas as compared to its scale in 2014.
"Enemies have remained very active, but fortunately, and it's more of a good fortune in the country that we can say that we have had no terrorist incident in the hinterland. The left-wing extremism has reduced to less than 11 per cent areas than what existed in 2014. Most of the districts which had been declared as left-wing prone have been declared safe," Doval said.
