Global Terrorism Index
The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2026 has revealed significant shifts in the global terrorism landscape, with Pakistan ranking as the country most affected by terrorism for the first time. The report, released by the Institute for Economics and Peace, evaluates the impact of terrorism across 163 countries using comprehensive data from global monitoring systems, including the Terrorism Tracker database.
The annual index measures the severity and frequency of terrorist activity worldwide. Analysts consider several indicators such as the number of terrorist incidents, fatalities, injuries, and hostages. These metrics are combined using a five-year weighted average to determine each country’s ranking.
Pakistan Records Highest Impact of Terrorism
According to the GTI 2026 report, Pakistan recorded around 1,045 terrorist incidents in 2025, resulting in 1,139 deaths and 1,595 injuries. This represents the highest number of terror-related incidents in the country in the past decade, pushing Pakistan to the top position globally in terms of terrorism impact.
The surge in attacks reflects ongoing security challenges, including militant activities along its borders and the growing influence of extremist groups operating in the region.
In the previous Global Terrorism Index 2025, the West African nation Burkina Faso held the top spot. However, in the latest report, Burkina Faso moved to second place, while Niger ranked third.
Top 10 Countries Most Affected by Terrorism
The GTI 2026 rankings highlight that terrorism remains concentrated in a relatively small group of countries, particularly in South Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Africa.
The top 10 countries most affected by terrorism are:
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Pakistan
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Burkina Faso
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Niger
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Nigeria
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Mali
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Syria
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Somalia
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Democratic Republic of the Congo
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Colombia
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Israel
A notable development in the 2026 index is the entry of Israel into the top 10, reflecting the increase in terrorist incidents and security tensions in the region over the past year.
India’s Position in the Global Index
The report places **India at 13th position in the 2026 Global Terrorism Index. According to the findings, India experienced 142 terrorist incidents in 2025, leading to 100 deaths and 118 injuries.
While India continues to face security challenges in certain regions, its position outside the top 10 suggests that the overall impact of terrorism remains lower compared with several conflict-affected nations.
The GTI evaluates the terrorism impact through four primary indicators:
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Number of terrorist incidents
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Fatalities caused by attacks
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Number of injuries
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Hostages taken during attacks
These indicators are then combined into a five-year weighted score, allowing researchers to track long-term trends rather than short-term spikes.
Emerging Threats and Global Trends
The report also highlights emerging risks and evolving patterns in global terrorism. According to the findings, **Iran could potentially become a new hub for extremist militias if political instability leads to state failure.
Meanwhile, the extremist group Islamic State and its affiliated networks remain the deadliest terrorist organisations worldwide in 2026. The group is reportedly responsible for around 17 percent of all terrorist attacks globally.
Another concerning development is the rapid growth of Tehrik‑e‑Taliban Pakistan, which has been identified as the fastest-growing terrorist organisation in terms of lethal activity. The report notes that deaths linked to the group increased by approximately 90 percent over the past year.
Shift in Nature of Terror Attacks
The GTI 2026 also highlights a change in the motivations behind terrorist violence in Western countries. The report found that politically motivated attacks have now surpassed religiously driven incidents, marking a major shift in extremist activity.
Religiously motivated attacks in Western countries have declined by about 82 percent, while politically motivated violence has increased, reflecting growing polarization and ideological extremism in some regions.
Global Security Challenges Continue
Despite ongoing counterterrorism efforts by governments and international organizations, the Global Terrorism Index 2026 underscores that terrorism remains a persistent global threat. The concentration of attacks in certain regions and the emergence of new extremist networks continue to challenge security agencies worldwide.
Experts emphasize that addressing terrorism requires not only military and intelligence strategies but also long-term political stability, economic development, and international cooperation to reduce the root causes that allow extremist groups to flourish.
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