The shifting landscape of global extremism: From retreat to reinvention

How development, ideology, and regional rivalries are reshaping extremism in South Asia and beyond

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In the aftermath of the deadly car explosion near India's historic Red Fort monument in New Delhi that killed eight people and injured several others earlier this week

AS South Asia once again stands on the edge of heightened tension, the debate on the future of extremism has resurfaced with striking urgency.

The recent explosion in Delhi, reportedly linked to the Pakistan-based militant outfit Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), the decision of the Sri Lankan cricket team to cut short its tour citing security concerns, and the travel advisories issued by the UK and the US all reveal how quickly the regional temperature is rising.

It is in this very context that some academics and policymakers are choosing to revisit the theme of “The Shifting Landscape of Global Extremism.” The timing is more than intellectual—it is strategic. When the region heats up, discussions on extremism are never neutral; they are tactical and politically charged.

Extremism does not arise naturally. It is crafted—shaped, manipulated, and sustained by human ambition and geopolitical calculation. History shows how the meaning of “extremism” evolves to suit the interests of the powerful.

After 9/11, the West's war on terror targeted religious extremism. Following ISIS fall, global focus shifted toward cyber radicalisation and hybrid extremism. Today, we see yet another mutation—where ideological extremism fuses with technology, populism, and global grievance.

This transformation shows not retreat, but reinvention. Extremism has simply found new arenas and new justifications.

Globally, extremist movements are undergoing a metamorphosis. The fall of traditional strongholds like Raqqa or Waziristan has not dismantled extremism—it has merely dispersed it.