Why in news?

A deadly blast near the Red Fort Metro Station in Delhi on November 10 killed 13 people and injured several others, likely caused by an improvised explosive device (IED). While official details are still emerging, experts explain that IEDs are dangerous, easily assembled weapons capable of causing mass harm.

They emphasise that IEDs reflect the darkest impulses of human intent and highlight the urgent need for a comprehensive national counter-IED strategy to prevent future attacks.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Why Terrorists Rely on IEDs?
• How IEDs Reveal the ‘Signature’ of the Terror Group?
• Declining Patterns in IED Attacks Across Conflict Zones
• Sources of Explosives: A Persistent Cat-and-Mouse Battle
• Toward a National Counter-IED Policy Framework

Why Terrorists Rely on IEDs?

• IEDs remain the preferred weapon for terrorists because they are low-risk, high-impact, and easy to assemble using widely available materials.
• An IED typically consists of a container, battery, detonator, switch, and explosives, with added fragments like ball bearings or nails to increase lethality.
• Except for the detonator, most components can be improvised from everyday items.
• While most groups use commercially made detonators for reliability, some extremists have experimented with unstable homemade versions.
• Overall, the ease of fabrication and devastating potential make IEDs a go-to tool for terror attacks.

How IEDs Reveal the ‘Signature’ of the Terror Group?

• IED components often carry identifiable patterns that help investigators trace the group behind an attack.
• The type of explosive used — military-grade like RDX/TNT, commercial explosives, or homemade mixtures such as ANFO (Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil) — offers key clues, since terror groups usually stick to familiar materials and methods.
• The triggering mechanism also narrows down suspects. Whether the device is command-operated, timer-based, or victim-operated (like suitcase or transistor bombs) reflects the group’s typical modus operandi.
• Additionally, the method of placement — vehicle-borne, suicide-borne, or person-borne — further refines the analysis.
• Together, these elements form a distinct “bomb signature,” enabling agencies to link an attack to likely perpetrators.
• The National Bomb Data Centre of the NSG maintains detailed blast records and provides expert assessments to support such investigations.

Declining Patterns in IED Attacks Across Conflict Zones

• IED attacks in India have shown a steady decline across major conflict areas, including Jammu & Kashmir, Naxal-affected regions, and the hinterland.
• In J&K, recent blasts have often used a mix of military-grade, commercial, and homemade explosives — as seen in the 2019 Pulwama attack, which combined RDX from Pakistan with locally sourced commercial explosives and fertiliser-based materials.
• Drone-dropped magnetic IEDs from Pakistan, once a concern in J&K and Punjab, have also reduced significantly.
• In Naxal-affected regions, IED incidents have sharply fallen, with most devices relying on commercially available explosives.
• In the rest of the country, only a few significant incidents have occurred, such as the 2024 Bengaluru Rameshwaram Café blast using low-grade explosives.
• Overall, jihadi groups now increasingly mix different explosive types to assemble devices, even as the overall frequency of attacks declines.

Sources of Explosives: A Persistent Cat-and-Mouse Battle

• Military-grade materials largely enter India through Pakistan-backed channels — via drones or human couriers.
• Despite stronger border surveillance, agencies must intercept every attempt, while handlers need only one success.
• This creates an unending cat-and-mouse dynamic requiring continuous technological upgrades and vigilance.
• Commercial Explosives: Pilferage from Licensed Supply Chains
  • Commercial explosives and detonators used in mining, construction and road projects are regulated by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization (PESO).
  • Although PESO enforces strong safety standards, its limited manpower leads to gaps at the last-mile.
  • In insurgency-prone zones, pilferage occurs through coercion or collusion with end-users, making enforcement a challenge.
• Homemade Explosives: Misuse of Precursor Chemicals
  • Terrorists often extract explosive material from precursor chemicals and commonly available substances such as fertilisers.
  • While Indian fertilisers include safeguards that make “cooking” difficult, the threat persists due to the wide availability of precursor items.
  • Experts recommend identifying such chemicals clearly and mandating vendors to report bulk purchases to local police.
  • This layered sourcing — border smuggling, local pilferage, and chemical extraction — underscores the need for tighter monitoring, inter-agency coordination, and proactive regulation.

Toward a National Counter-IED Policy Framework

• A comprehensive National Counter-IED Policy is urgently needed to unify strategy, clarify responsibilities, and strengthen coordination among all stakeholders involved in preventing and responding to explosive threats.
• The Red Fort blast appears to involve a nitrate-based mix, but speculating further is premature.
• The Nowgam police station explosion highlights critical gaps in safe handling.
  • Such blasts can occur either due to an embedded detonator accidentally triggering upon friction or because contaminated, confined ammonium nitrate detonates when exposed to sustained heat.
• The key lesson is clear: all recovered explosives, blast remnants, and devices must be “rendered safe” exclusively by trained Bomb Detection and Disposal Squads before any evidence collection begins.
• The account also underscores the exemplary actions of the Srinagar doctor-cop whose meticulous investigation dismantled a new terror module — a reminder of the critical role of skilled, alert personnel in counter-terror operations.