General Studies III · Subtopic
External non-state actors
Official syllabus
Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.
UPSC CSE 2026 notification
What this covers
A non-state actor is an organization or network outside formal state authority. It can operate across borders, but external presence, ideology and involvement in an offence are separate propositions. Civil-society and humanitarian organizations must not be grouped with violent actors by label alone.
Key ideas
- Organizational form
- Cross-border networks
- Recruitment and resources
- Domestic contacts
- Attribution limits