The National Investigation Agency (NIA) was set up under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 as a Central Counter Terrorism Law Enforcement Agency in the wake of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

The Agency investigates and prosecutes offences affecting the sovereignty, security and integrity of India, security of State, friendly relations with foreign States, matters relating to international treaties etc. specified in the Schedule to the NIA Act, 2008.

To enhance the capacity of the NIA, with the objective to make NIA in to a world-class investigating agency while proficiently fulfilling its responsibilities- in prevention, investigation and prosecution of crimes affecting / threatening national security, following steps / initiatives have been taken:

(i). The Government has empowered the NIA through ‘NIA (Amendment) Act, 2019’, to investigate scheduled offences involving Indian citizens or Indian interests that are committed outside India.

(ii). Further, the mandate of NIA has also been expanded to investigate offences related to Explosive Substances Act, 1908, Human Trafficking, Cyber Terrorism and Arms Act, 1959.

(iii). Footprint of NIA has been expanded pan India, by establishing 21 branch offices in different parts of the country, with 02 Zonal Offices (in Guwahati and Jammu) and Headquarter at Delhi.

(iv). The NIA has total 1901 sanctioned posts at present, out of which 769 posts have been sanctioned during the last five years.

(v). The Government has designated 52 NIA Special Courts across the country, out of which 03 NIA Special Courts at Ranchi, Jammu and Mumbai have been designated as the Special Courts exclusively for the trial of Scheduled Offences investigated by the NIA.

(vi). ‘National Terror Data Fusion & Analysis Centre (NTDFAC)’ has been established in the NIA for enabling of Big Data Analytics and facilitating the automation and digitization of the various investigative process, procedures that will strengthen supervision and enhance efficiency, consistency and accountability.

(vii). The Government has created ISIS Investigation Research Cell (IIRC) in NIA in January, 2018 and broadened its scope to other theatres of terrorism and renamed it as Counter Terrorism Research Cell (CTRC).

(viii).  Exclusive Divisions, such as, ‘Anti Human Trafficking Division (AHTD)’, ‘Anti Cyber Terrorism Division (ACTD)’, ‘Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Cell’, ‘Financial Analysis Unit (FAU)’ and a Special Cell comprising of legal experts have also been created in the NIA.

(x). The NIA has been made the Nodal Agency at Central level for investigation of Terror Funding and High Quality ‘Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN)’ cases, for which a ‘Terror Funding and Fake Currency (TFFC) Cell’ has been constituted in the NIA for conducting focused investigation.

(xi). To collaborate with countries across the world, NIA organised the 3rd edition of the Ministerial Level Conference ‘No Money for Terror (NMFT)’ during 2022. Delegates from 78 countries and 16 Multilateral Organizations participated in the said conference.

(xii).   During the past 05 years, NIA in collaboration with foreign agencies, have conducted the ‘Capacity Building Training Programmes (CBTPs)’ for the NIA officers and States/UT Police, Central Police Organizations (CPOs) and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). The NIA has also conducted such programmes for the Foreign Officers during the last 03 years.

(xiii).  Recently, the Government has accorded an approval for Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NIA and ‘National Forensic Science University (NFSU)’ for capacity building of NIA officers in the field of forensic expertise. It has been signed by both the parties in March, 2025.

(xiv).  A Joint Task Force (JTF) has been instituted between India and Bangladesh for exchange of information related to FICN. NIA has conducted capacity building programs of various Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) at Central and State level as well as for police officers of neighbouring countries including Bangladesh and Nepal for dealing with FICN smuggling.

(xv).    An effort has been made to benchmark the capacities of NIA at par with the parameters of functioning of the best counter-terrorism agencies in the world, in order to bolster the capacity of the NIA in prevention, investigation and prosecution of crimes affecting/ threatening national security.

As an outcome of these steps, capabilities of NIA have been significantly bolstered, to grow it as a premier investigating agency,

which has been performing efficiently and effectively- in discharging its mandate in an impactful manner. NIA has now emerged as a globally renowned investigative agency, with a conviction rate of 92.44% in judgements pronounced in 172 cases (out of the total 692 registered cases since its inception).

    The Government of India maintains a ‘Zero-tolerance policy’ against any form of unlawful activities, that are prejudicial to the sovereignty, unity, integrity, and security of the nation.

The Government of India has taken continuous and stringent action against various organizations found to be involved in unlawful activities in accordance with the provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Accordingly, in the last five years, the Government has declared 23 organizations as Unlawful Associations. The list is enclosed as Annexure ‘A’.

*******

ANNEXURE-A   

List of organizations declared as unlawful associations during the last 05 years: 

ANNEXURE-A  

This was stated by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shri Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

***

RK/RR/PS/SJK/PR/PS