{"id":74933,"date":"2025-11-25T10:35:24","date_gmt":"2025-11-25T05:05:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=74933"},"modified":"2025-11-25T11:30:24","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T06:00:24","slug":"red-fort-blast-explained-how-ieds-work-and-why-india-needs-a-counter-ied-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/red-fort-blast-explained-how-ieds-work-and-why-india-needs-a-counter-ied-policy\/","title":{"rendered":"Red Fort Blast Explained: How IEDs Work and Why India Needs a Counter-IED Policy"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>IED Latest News<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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 <\/span><b>improvised explosive device<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (IED).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While official details are still emerging, experts explain that IEDs are dangerous, easily assembled weapons capable of causing mass harm.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Why Terrorists Rely on IEDs<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">IEDs remain the preferred weapon for terrorists because they are low-risk, high-impact, and easy to assemble using widely available materials.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An IED typically consists of a container, battery, detonator, switch, and explosives, with added fragments like ball bearings or nails to increase lethality.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Except for the detonator, most components can be improvised from everyday items.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While most groups use commercially made detonators for reliability, some extremists have experimented with unstable homemade versions.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overall, the ease of fabrication and devastating potential make IEDs a go-to tool for terror attacks.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>How IEDs Reveal the \u2018Signature\u2019 of the Terror Group<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">IED components often carry identifiable patterns that help investigators trace the group behind an attack.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The type of explosive used \u2014 military-grade like RDX\/TNT, commercial explosives, or homemade mixtures such as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/understanding-ammonium-nitrate-fuel-oil-the-explosive-used-in-the-red-fort-blast\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>ANFO<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil) \u2014 offers key clues, since terror groups usually stick to familiar materials and methods.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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\u2019s typical modus operandi.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, the method of placement \u2014 vehicle-borne, suicide-borne, or person-borne \u2014 further refines the analysis.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Together, these elements form a distinct \u201cbomb signature,\u201d enabling agencies to link an attack to likely perpetrators.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>National Bomb Data Centre<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the NSG maintains detailed blast records and provides expert assessments to support such investigations.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Declining Patterns in IED Attacks Across Conflict Zones<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">IED attacks in India have shown a steady decline across major conflict areas, including Jammu &amp; Kashmir, Naxal-affected regions, and the hinterland.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In J&amp;K, recent blasts have often used a mix of military-grade, commercial, and homemade explosives \u2014 as seen in the 2019 Pulwama attack, which combined RDX from Pakistan with locally sourced commercial explosives and fertiliser-based materials.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Drone-dropped magnetic IEDs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from Pakistan, once a concern in J&amp;K and Punjab, have also reduced significantly.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Naxal-affected regions, IED incidents have sharply fallen, with most devices relying on commercially available explosives.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the rest of the country, only a few significant incidents have occurred, such as the 2024 Bengaluru <\/span><b>Rameshwaram Caf\u00e9 blast<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> using low-grade explosives.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overall, jihadi groups now increasingly mix different explosive types to assemble devices, even as the overall frequency of attacks declines.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Sources of Explosives: A Persistent Cat-and-Mouse Battle<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Military-grade materials largely enter India through Pakistan-backed channels \u2014 via drones or human couriers.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite stronger border surveillance, agencies must intercept every attempt, while handlers need only one success.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This creates an unending cat-and-mouse dynamic requiring continuous technological upgrades and vigilance.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Commercial Explosives: Pilferage from Licensed Supply Chains<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Commercial explosives and detonators used in mining, construction and road projects are regulated by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization (PESO).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although PESO enforces strong safety standards, its limited manpower leads to gaps at the last-mile.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In insurgency-prone zones, pilferage occurs through coercion or collusion with end-users, making enforcement a challenge.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Homemade Explosives: Misuse of Precursor Chemicals<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Terrorists often extract explosive material from precursor chemicals and commonly available substances such as fertilisers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While Indian fertilisers include safeguards that make \u201ccooking\u201d difficult, the threat persists due to the wide availability of precursor items.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Experts recommend identifying such chemicals clearly and mandating vendors to report bulk purchases to local police.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This layered sourcing \u2014 border smuggling, local pilferage, and chemical extraction \u2014 underscores the need for tighter monitoring, inter-agency coordination, and proactive regulation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Toward a National Counter-IED Policy Framework<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A comprehensive <\/span><b>National Counter-IED Policy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is urgently needed to unify strategy, clarify responsibilities, and strengthen coordination among all stakeholders involved in preventing and responding to explosive threats.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Red Fort blast appears to involve a nitrate-based mix, but speculating further is premature.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Nowgam police station explosion highlights critical gaps in <\/span><b>safe handling<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The key lesson is clear: all recovered explosives, blast remnants, and devices must be \u201crendered safe\u201d exclusively by trained Bomb Detection and Disposal Squads before any evidence collection begins.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The account also underscores the exemplary actions of the Srinagar doctor-cop whose meticulous investigation dismantled a new terror module \u2014 a reminder of the critical role of skilled, alert personnel in counter-terror operations.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b><strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/red-fort-blast-ied-nsg-10367327\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">IE<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.business-standard.com\/india-news\/delhi-blast-red-fort-foreign-handler-bomb-making-videos-probe-125112100156_1.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">BS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Understand how IEDs are made, why terrorists use them, emerging trends, and why India urgently needs a national counter-IED policy to prevent future attacks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":74954,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[3865,60,22,59],"class_list":{"0":"post-74933","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-ied","9":"tag-mains-articles","10":"tag-upsc-current-affairs","11":"tag-upsc-mains-current-affairs","12":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74933","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74933"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74933\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/74954"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74933"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74933"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74933"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}