Anti-Terror Laws in India: A Bibliometric and Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

This study analyzes the evolution of anti-terror legislation in India through a combined bibliometric and systematic literature review. Over the past two decades, the counter-terror legal regime in India, primarily anchored in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), has undergone significant transformations, which have given rise to a scholarly debate about the implications for national security, civil liberties, and human rights. This research aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the academic work related to anti-terror legislation in India by mapping the intellectual structure, methodological approaches, and thematic developments within this field. An original dataset that includes 104 documents indexed in Scopus undergoes bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer and Biblioshiny, along with a systematic literature review that aims to synthesize both doctrinal and empirical insights. The​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ bibliometric analysis illustrated that the study of laws concerning counterterrorism has been developing continuously during the last ten years, with more and more publications being made in legal and security studies. The systematic review reveals that even though counter-terror measures in India have strengthened the State's control, they frequently bring up the same issues of procedural rights, civil liberties, and democratic supervision. Future research should examine how policy formulation is influenced by political, institutional, and social forces, particularly the role of religion and ideological narratives in shaping legislative outcomes.