India, Nov. 21 -- The bombing near the Red Fort in Delhi has once again forced India to confront an old and persistent enemy-terrorism. But unlike past incidents, this attack signals a deeper and more insidious transformation. The involvement of highly educated individuals, including medical professionals, marks a disturbing evolution in the terror ecosystem. What was once dismissed as the handiwork of marginalised or radicalised outliers has now seeped into sectors that symbolise stability, competence and trust.

The threat is no longer lurking at the peripheries; it is embedding itself within the intellectual and economic arteries of the nation. Terrorism today behaves like a malignant force, quietly infiltrating institutions and erodin...