Fewer attacks but India's still terror-afflicted

India experienced lesser number of deaths due to extremism last year, but still it remains one of the most terrorism-afflicted nations in the world, a US report said.

"The loss of nearly 1,900 lives (civilian, security forces, and terrorists) still made India one of the world's most terrorism-afflicted countries.

"Sustained violence in Kashmir over a six-month period and attempted infiltrations from Pakistan across the Line of Control remained serious concerns for the Indian government," the annual State Department Country Report on Terrorism for 2010 stated.

"In May, an Indian court convicted and sentenced to death the lone surviving attacker (Ajmal Kasab) of the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks," said the annual report released by the State Department on Thursday.

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According to the report, In 2010, India continued to see a reduction in the number of deaths attributable to terrorist violence, as it ramped up its counter-terrorism capacity building efforts and increased cooperation with the international community, especially the US.

The State Department praised Indian authorities for its counter-terrorism efforts.

Indian security forces successfully ensured security at a number of major events, including the 2010 Hockey World Cup and the 2010 Commonwealth Games, without any incident.

Throughout 2010, Indian authorities arrested numerous suspected militants, uncovered several arms caches, continued to develop a new internal security force, implemented improved border security measures mainly along the Pakistani border, and tightened laws to counter terrorist financing.

In July, the US-India Counter-terrorism Cooperation Initiative was signed, which set the stage for greater cooperation on anti-terror issues between the two governments, it said.

"Throughout the year, India worked to improve its counter-terrorism readiness. The Ministry of Home Affairs Annual Report 2009-2010 stated that in response to the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, Quick Reaction Teams have been set up in four regional hubs (Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad) with 1,086 trained personnel and an additional team on standby at the Delhi airport, ready to deploy during an emergency," the report said.

Countering extremist ideology has become an important part of India's counter-terrorism strategy.

The Ministry of Home Affairs continued its Surrender-cum-Rehabilitation policy, which encouraged misguided youths and militants to surrender, while offering to provide them rehabilitation and assistance in transitioning back into the population, the report added.