Pakistan's Terror Woes Mount: Tops Global Terrorism Index 2026, India Shows Improvement

• Pakistan leads the Global Terrorism Index 2026, surpassing Burkina Faso, with 1,139 deaths and 1,045 incidents in 2025, its worst in a decade.
• The return of the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2021 fueled cross-border terrorism, with Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attacks increasing by 24% in 2025.
• India shows significant improvement, ranking 13th globally with a 43% decrease in terrorist attacks and declining deaths in 2025.
• Tensions escalated between India and Pakistan in May 2025 due to Indian Air Force missile attacks, followed by Pakistan's declaration of war-like situation with Afghanistan in Feb 2026.
• Sub-Saharan Africa remains a major terrorism hub, while Western democracies saw a 280% increase in deaths, with youth radicalization a growing concern.