Pakistan has emerged as the country most affected by terrorism in the entire world. According to the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2026, Pakistan is experiencing a sharp recovery with 1,139 deaths and 1,045 incidents in 2025, the highest level since 2013.
How terrorism has increased in Pakistan
With a score of 8.57, Pakistan replaced Burkina Faso as the country most affected by terrorism. This is the first time since 2011 that Pakistan has topped the Global Terrorism Index published by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), an independent non-profit think tank based in Sydney.
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“Pakistan’s strained relations with its neighbors, combined with increasing violence by the TTP and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), have created significant security risks,” the report said.
Top 10 countries in Global Terrorism Index 2026
African countries dominated the top 10 in the Global Terrorism Index 2026, with Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Other Asian countries in the top 10 are Syria (6), Cambodia (9) and Israel (10).
While Afghanistan is ranked 11th, India is ranked 13th, followed by Myanmar.
Global Terrorism Index 2026 ranking in India
According to the 2026 Global Terrorism Index, India has a score of 6.43, with the country recording more than 142 terrorism-related incidents, more than 100 deaths and 118 injuries in 2025.
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Iran ranks 18th on the Global Terrorism Index 2026, while the US ranks 28th.
Waht is a global terrorism index
The Global Terrorism Index is a comprehensive study analyzing the impact of terrorism for 163 countries covering 99.7 percent of the world’s population.
In 2025, the report noted that the number of deaths caused by terrorism fell by 28 percent to 5,582 and the number of incidents fell by 22 percent to 2,944, the lowest figures since 2007.
The global death toll from terrorism has fallen in 2025
Although the number of deaths caused by terrorism has fallen globally, the study found that in the West, the number of deaths will soar by 280 percent to 57 in 2025, largely due to anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and political terrorism.
Deadliest terrorist outfit
Among terrorist organizations, the GTI named the Islamic State (IS) and its affiliates as the deadliest terrorist organization in 2026, responsible for nearly 17 percent of all attacks worldwide.
The four deadliest terrorist organizations in 2025 were IS, Jamaat Nusrat Al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and al-Shabaab. Together, they were responsible for 3,869 deaths, or 70 percent of all victims of terrorism.
Iran could become a breeding ground for terror
The report also expressed concern over the escalation of the conflict in Iran, saying it could further destabilize the MENA region and increase the risk of Iran-sympathetic groups carrying out terrorist attacks overseas.
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She also warned that Iran risks becoming another breeding ground for terrorist militias if it becomes a failed state.
Youth radicalization and lone wolf attacks
Youth radicalization and lone wolf attacks remain one of the greatest global risks, according to the IEP.
Investigations into youth terrorism have tripled since 2021, and 93 percent of all fatal attacks in the West over the same period were lone wolf attacks.
Key things
- Pakistan has overtaken Burkina Faso as the country most affected by terrorism, highlighting regional security challenges.
- Youth radicalization and lone wolf attacks are emerging as significant global threats, especially in Western countries.
- The Global Terrorism Index shows a general decline in terrorism-related deaths worldwide, contrasting with localized increases in certain regions.
