The twelfth edition of the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2025, released by the Institute for Economics and Peace, paints a sobering picture of the evolving nature of terrorism across the globe. While total deaths from terrorism declined by 13% compared to 2023, the spread and intensity of attacks have grown more unpredictable and technologically sophisticated.

In a dramatic geographic shift, the Sahel region of sub-Saharan Africa has become the new epicentre of global terrorism, accounting for over 51% of all terrorism-related deaths in 2024. Five of the ten most impacted countries—including Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—are now located in this increasingly unstable corridor. Burkina Faso, despite witnessing a 21% drop in deaths, still recorded one-fifth of all terrorism deaths globally.

Meanwhile, India ranks 14th on the global index, maintaining the same position as last year. While the intensity of attacks remained unchanged, the lack of attribution for a large number of incidents raises concerns about undetected networks and the role of regional instability. According to the report, India is among the top countries with the highest number of attacks that went unclaimed.

In 2024, 66 countries reported at least one terrorist incident—the highest in seven years. Notably, Pakistan saw a 45% increase in terrorism deaths, largely driven by Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group closely aligned with the Afghan Taliban. Russia and Iran also recorded their highest terrorism fatalities in a decade, primarily due to high-casualty attacks by the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISK).

A worrying trend highlighted in the report is the rise of lone-wolf terrorism in Western nations, often orchestrated by youth radicalised online. Platforms like Telegram, fringe gaming forums and even AI-generated propaganda are fuelling new waves of ideologically confused but highly motivated attackers. 52 attacks were recorded in the West in 2024—up from 32 the year before. Europe saw a doubling of incidents, with Germany, Sweden and Australia among the hardest hit.

The use of artificial intelligence by terror groups has reached an inflection point. ISK, for instance, is now producing multilingual, AI-enhanced recruitment content, leveraging deepfakes and real-time messaging tools to expand its reach. At least 24 major terror plots were foiled globally in 2024, including attacks planned during the Paris Olympics and at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna.

Commenting on the findings, IEP’s executive director Steve Killelea noted, “The data shows terrorism has become more decentralised, more digital, and increasingly transnational. The future of terrorism will be shaped not just on battlefields, but on social media timelines and within encrypted chatrooms.”

For India, the report serves as both a caution and a call to action. While current indicators show no deterioration, the presence of radicalising forces in the digital domain, combined with an unstable neighbourhood, means vigilance and adaptive counterterrorism strategies remain crucial.