The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has unveiled India’s 1st counterterrorism policy ‘PRAHAAR (National Counter-Terrorism Policy and Strategy)‘ – a comprehensive framework built on zero tolerance, intelligence-led prevention & coordinated response to extremist violence. The policy seeks to deny terrorists, their financiers & supporters their access, weapons & safe havens – both within the country & abroad.
| Table of Content |
| What is PRAHAAR? What are the key threats outlined by the Policy? What are the key objectives of the Policy? Why PRAHAAR is significant? |
What is PRAHAAR?
- PRAHAAR is India’s first comprehensive national counter-terrorism policy. It marks a shift from a reactive security posture to a proactive, doctrine-driven architecture.
- The Seven Pillars of PRAHAAR:
Prevention Using intelligence-led, proactive measures to stop attacks before they occur. Responses Swift, proportionate, and graded responses coordinated across central and state levels. Aggregating Capacities A “whole-of-government” approach to modernize forces with advanced tools and weaponry. Human Rights Ensuring operations are grounded in the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights. Attenuating Conditions Addressing radicalization and socio-economic vulnerabilities through education and engagement. Aligning Efforts Strengthening international cooperation via treaties, extradition, and UN-led norms. Recovery & Resilience A “whole-of-society” approach involving NGOs and community leaders for rehabilitation.
What are the key threats outlined by the Policy?
The PRAHAAR policy explicitly outlines the major terrorist threats facing India, which form the basis of its strategy. It notes that India faces threats on land, water, and air. Key threats identified include:
- Cross-Border and State-Sponsored Terrorism: The policy notes that India has long been affected by “sponsored terrorism from across the border,” with “jihadi terror outfits” continuing to plan and execute attacks. It also observes that “a few countries in the region have sometimes used terrorism as an instrument of State policy”.
- Emerging and Technological Threats: The policy highlights the challenge of terrorists accessing and using CBRNED (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive, Digital) materials.
- Drones & Robotics: The misuse of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for smuggling arms, ammunition, and explosives, particularly in border regions like Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir.
- Anonymity Tools: Use of the Dark Web, encrypted messaging apps, and Crypto-wallets to fund, recruit, and coordinate attacks without detection.
- Criminal Nexus and Radicalization: Terrorist groups are increasingly engaging organized criminal networks for logistics and recruitment. They also misuse the internet, including social media, the dark web, and crypto wallets, for propaganda, communication, and funding.
- Global Terror Groups: The policy identifies Al-Qaeda and ISIS as persistent threats that continue to attempt to incite violence through local sleeper cells.
- Critical Infrastructure Vulnerabilities: The policy mandates a protective framework for the “critical sectors of the Indian economy” that are now viewed as high-priority targets:
- Energy & Power: Power grids and atomic energy establishments
- Transportation: Railways, aviation, and major ports
- Advanced Sectors: Space assets and defense installations
What are the key objectives of the Policy?
- Zero-Tolerance Enforcement: To firmly establish and implement a “zero tolerance” approach towards all forms of terrorism, ensuring that every terrorist act, whether successful or foiled, is met with the full force of the state.
- Criminalize All Acts: A core goal is to ensure that every act of terrorism, including financing and logistical support, is criminalized under a uniform legal framework.
- Dismantling the Terrorist Ecosystem: To systematically dismantle the entire ecosystem that enables terrorism. This includes not just active militants, but also:
- Over Ground Worker (OGW) networks and support structures.
- Illegal arms and drug syndicates that fund and arm groups.
- Terror financing channels and money laundering operations.
- Uniform Anti-Terror Structure: Standardizing the counter-terrorism architecture – across all Indian states so that a police station in Kerala and a unit in J&K, as well as, from a local police station in a small district to the National Security Guard (NSG) – follow the same Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Intelligence Primacy: Strengthening the Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) to ensure real-time, seamless information flow between central agencies (like the NIA and IB) and state police forces.
- Legal Integration: It mandates that legal experts be involved from the very first step (the FIR) to ensure that technicalities don’t lead to acquittals, aiming for a near-100% conviction rate to serve as a deterrent.
- Modernization: Aggregating national capacity by equipping law enforcement with state-of-the-art tools for cyber-defense, drone interception, and CBRNED (Chemical/Biological/Nuclear) threat mitigation.
- Graded Response to Radicalization: Moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach. The policy mandates a “graded” response where legal action is balanced with de-radicalization efforts based on the individual’s level of involvement.
- Victim-Centricity: Institutionalizing support for victims of terror, ensuring they are at the heart of the national narrative.
- International Cooperation:
- Global Collaboration: Engaging with international partners and organizations to combat terrorism on a global level.
- Extradition & Deportation: Accelerating the pursuit of wanted fugitives through enhanced bilateral treaties.
- International Norm-Setting: Working with the UN and other global bodies to create a universal definition of terrorism and to hold states that sponsor terror accountable.
- Sharing Best Practices: Learning from other countries’ experiences and adopting effective counterterrorism strategies.
Why PRAHAAR is significant?
- Paradigm Shift: Before PRAHAAR, India’s counter-terrorism efforts were often seen as a collection of various laws (like the UAPA) and agency protocols (like the NIA). PRAHAAR replaces this fragmented approach with a unified national doctrine.
- Dismantling of Terror Ecosystem: PRAHAAR is significant because it not only targets the terrorists but the entire infrastructure of support.
- Addressing the 21st Century Threats: The policy is the first to officially recognize and provide a roadmap for modern, non-traditional threats like drones, robotics, cyberattacks etc. It formalizes the response to UAV-based smuggling of arms and drugs in border states like Punjab and J&K.
It treats “criminal hackers” and state-sponsored cyber-terrorists with the same urgency as physical terrorists, protecting critical infrastructure like power grids and nuclear plants. - Whole-of-Society Approach: Instead of treating every radicalized youth as a hardened criminal, it introduces a “Graded Police Response.” This allows for de-radicalization and reintegration for those with low-level involvement, involving NGOs, psychologists, and religious leaders.
- Human Rights as a Pillar: By making Human Rights one of the seven core pillars (the “H” in PRAHAAR), the state acknowledges that counter-terrorism is most effective when it maintains public trust and adheres to the Rule of Law, preventing the alienation of local populations.
| Pre-PRAHAAR | Post-PRAHAAR | |
| Core Philosophy | Reactive: Responding after an event. | Proactive: Focused on neutralizing threats at the “conception” stage. |
| Legal Framework | Fragmented: Different states had different laws & SOPs. | Unified: Single national doctrine for all States & agencies. |
| Focus | Kinetic Focus: Focus only on the “terrorist.” | Ecosystem Focus: Targeting financiers, OGWs, and digital handlers. |
| Technology | Conventional: Focused on physical border security and CCTV. | Advanced: Specifically targets Drones, Dark Web, and Crypto-terrorism as primary fronts. |
| Radicalization | Criminalized: Usually treated all involved parties as hardened criminals. | Graded Response: Uses a mix of legal action, de-radicalization, and social reintegration. |
| Victim Support | Incidental: Compensation and support were handled on a case-by-case basis. | Institutionalized: Places “Victim-Centricity” at the heart of the national counter-terror narrative. |
| Conviction | Cases often struggled in court due to procedural gaps. | Integrates legal experts from the FIR stage to ensure a near-100% conviction rate. |
| UPSC GS-3: Internal Security Read More: The Hindu |
