Number of terrorist attacks in India
India: Number of terrorist attacks was 235 attacks in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Number of terrorist attacks in India, 1970–2021
Source: National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in attacks.
Analysis
India recorded 235 attacks for number of terrorist attacks in 2021.
That represents a change of down 47.8% on the previous year and down 63.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of terrorist attacks in India peaked at 1,027 attacks in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0 attacks, in 1970.
India ranks 5th of 188 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of terrorist attacks in India, year by year
| Year | attacks | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1971 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1972 | 1 attacks | — |
| 1973 | 0 attacks | -100.0% |
| 1974 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1975 | 1 attacks | — |
| 1976 | 1 attacks | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 1 attacks | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0 attacks | -100.0% |
| 1979 | 20 attacks | — |
| 1980 | 10 attacks | -50.0% |
| 1981 | 16 attacks | +60.0% |
| 1982 | 13 attacks | -18.8% |
| 1983 | 47 attacks | +261.5% |
| 1984 | 159 attacks | +238.3% |
| 1985 | 39 attacks | -75.5% |
| 1986 | 96 attacks | +146.2% |
| 1987 | 166 attacks | +72.9% |
| 1988 | 358 attacks | +115.7% |
| 1989 | 324 attacks | -9.5% |
| 1990 | 349 attacks | +7.7% |
| 1991 | 339 attacks | -2.9% |
| 1992 | 237 attacks | -30.1% |
| 1994 | 107 attacks | -54.9% |
| 1995 | 179 attacks | +67.3% |
| 1996 | 213 attacks | +19.0% |
| 1997 | 193 attacks | -9.4% |
| 1998 | 61 attacks | -68.4% |
| 1999 | 112 attacks | +83.6% |
| 2000 | 180 attacks | +60.7% |
| 2001 | 234 attacks | +30.0% |
| 2002 | 184 attacks | -21.4% |
| 2003 | 196 attacks | +6.5% |
| 2004 | 108 attacks | -44.9% |
| 2005 | 146 attacks | +35.2% |
| 2006 | 167 attacks | +14.4% |
| 2007 | 150 attacks | -10.2% |
| 2008 | 535 attacks | +256.7% |
| 2009 | 672 attacks | +25.6% |
| 2010 | 663 attacks | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 645 attacks | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 613 attacks | -5.0% |
| 2013 | 694 attacks | +13.2% |
| 2014 | 860 attacks | +23.9% |
| 2015 | 885 attacks | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 1,027 attacks | +16.0% |
| 2017 | 967 attacks | -5.8% |
| 2018 | 889 attacks | -8.1% |
| 2019 | 622 attacks | -30.0% |
| 2020 | 450 attacks | -27.7% |
| 2021 | 235 attacks | -47.8% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 235 attacks is above the median for South Asia, which is 2 attacks, 117.5× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of terrorist attacks in India changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | +261.5% | 13 attacks | 47 attacks |
| 2008 | +256.7% | 150 attacks | 535 attacks |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.4 attacks | 0 attacks | 20 attacks | 10 |
| 1980s | 122.8 attacks | 10 attacks | 358 attacks | 10 |
| 1990s | 198.89 attacks | 61 attacks | 349 attacks | 9 |
| 2000s | 257.2 attacks | 108 attacks | 672 attacks | 10 |
| 2010s | 786.5 attacks | 613 attacks | 1,027 attacks | 10 |
| 2020s | 342.5 attacks | 235 attacks | 450 attacks | 2 |
Countries ranked near India
More reference data data for India
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 20.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 68.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 246.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 246.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 70.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 19.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 309.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,063 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 85.03 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of terrorist attacks in India?
- Number of terrorist attacks in India was 235 attacks in 2021, according to National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of terrorist attacks recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 1,027 attacks in 2016.
- What is the lowest number of terrorist attacks recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 attacks in 1970.
- How does India rank for number of terrorist attacks?
- India ranks 5th out of 188 countries with data for 2021.
- Is number of terrorist attacks rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 63.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of terrorist attacks. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total number of terrorist attacks.