24 Years of 9/11: Global War on Terror

11 Sep 2025

Table of Contents

The 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States prompted an unprecedented international response known as the Global War on Terror (GWOT).

Twenty-four years have passed since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that claimed 2,977 lives. As New York commemorated this anniversary in 2025 against a backdrop of political division, the world continues to assess the Global War on Terror (GWOT) and its impact on international relations and counter-terrorism strategies.

Genesis of the Global War on Terror

The coordinated strikes by al-Qaeda on September 11, 2001, prompted an international response that became known as the Global War on Terror. President George W. Bush declared war "against all those who seek to export terror," establishing the Bush Doctrine that positioned military force as the primary solution. More than 80 countries offered military assistance, and 46 multilateral organizations declared support. NATO invoked Article 5 for the first time in its history. While the UN Security Council condemned the attacks, it stopped short of explicitly authorizing the use of force.

Contemporary Threat Landscape

Two decades later, terrorism has not diminished but transformed into a more dispersed and technologically sophisticated threat. While al-Qaeda and the Taliban were weakened, new groups like ISIS in Iraq and Syria, Boko Haram in Nigeria, and al-Shabaab in Somalia emerged by exploiting weak governance and social instability.

Extremist groups today harness social media for recruitment, drones for tactical strikes, and cyber tools to attack infrastructure and financial systems. This reflects the paradox of the Global War on Terror: defeating centralized organizations created conditions for more decentralized and resilient networks.

India as a Victim of Terrorism

India has also faced the brunt of terrorism for decades, with the main culprit being state-sponsored terrorism by Pakistan. The recent Pahalgam Attack was a grim reminder of how India has been a victim of terrorism.

Pakistan-based groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed continue to pose the most serious threat. The 2008 Mumbai attacks and the 2019 Pulwama bombing highlight the persistence and sophistication of such groups.

India’s Counter-Terrorism Framework

The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), first enacted in 1967, became the cornerstone after its 2004 amendment incorporated provisions from POTA. Subsequent amendments in 2008 and 2019 further expanded the government’s powers, including designating individuals and organizations as terrorists.

In the aftermath of Mumbai attacks, the creation of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2008 addressed the lack of federal coordination, giving India a centralized mechanism to investigate and prosecute terrorism-related cases. This evolution shows India’s effort to balance security imperatives with constitutional safeguards.

Militarily, India has employed both localized operations and cross-border strikes. Operation Sindoor, conducted after a terror attack in Pahalgam, demonstrated India’s ability to use air power for precision targeting of terrorist camps in Bahawalpur and Muridke. The Balakot air strikes of 2019 reinforced India’s doctrine of “zero tolerance” against terrorism.

Beyond UAPA and the NIA, India has undertaken further reforms:

The 2019 UAPA amendment empowered the government to designate individuals—not just organizations—as terrorists.
The NIA’s jurisdiction now covers human trafficking, cyber terrorism, and crimes against scheduled castes and tribes. It has led investigations into the 2008 Mumbai attacks, ISIS-linked modules.
Internationally, India has deepened cooperation through extradition treaties, intelligence sharing, and forums like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). India’s sustained efforts helped secure Masood Azhar’s designation as a global terrorist by the UN Security Council in 2019.

Challenges to Global Counter-Terrorism

Despite decades of international efforts, global counter-terrorism faces structural obstacles that limit effective cooperation. The absence of a universally accepted definition of terrorism remains a fundamental challenge. The United Nations has failed to adopt a comprehensive convention on terrorism due to disagreements over what constitutes terrorism versus legitimate resistance movements. This definitional ambiguity allows nations to shield proxy groups while condemning others.

The misuse of veto power in the UN Security Council hampers collective action. Permanent members have repeatedly blocked resolutions against terrorist organizations for geopolitical reasons. For example, Russia has vetoed measures targeting Syrian regime allies despite their links to terrorist activities.

Intelligence sharing remains fragmented due to trust deficits between nations. Countries are reluctant to share sensitive information that might compromise their sources or reveal capabilities. The lack of standardized protocols for information exchange delays critical responses to emerging threats. Additionally, differing legal systems create obstacles in extraditing suspected terrorists, with some nations refusing extradition to countries practicing capital punishment.

Terrorism financing continues through informal networks that exploit regulatory gaps between jurisdictions. Despite international frameworks like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), money laundering and hawala networks persist in funding terrorist operations across borders.

Conclusion

The 24 years since 9/11 reveal the complex legacy of the Global War on Terror and its transformation of international security architecture. The American-led military campaigns achieved their immediate objectives of degrading al-Qaeda's leadership and removing hostile regimes in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Global War on Terror created a paradox where military success against centralized enemies inadvertently enabled the emergence of more dispersed and technologically sophisticated terrorist networks.

Groups like ISIS, Boko Haram, and al-Shabaab demonstrate how terrorism has evolved beyond traditional geographical boundaries, exploiting weak governance structures and leveraging digital platforms for recruitment and operations.

India's parallel journey in counter-terrorism offers crucial insights for the international community. The country's approach of combining legal framework evolution, institutional strengthening, and targeted military operations has managed to contain threats without engaging in large-scale overseas interventions.

The establishment of the NIA, the continuous refinement of UAPA, and operations like the Balakot air strikes demonstrate India's commitment to adapting its response mechanisms to evolving threats.