Source: IE
Context:
India has formally adopted its first comprehensive national counter-terrorism doctrine, PRAHAAR, marking a shift from a largely operational response to a structured, long-term strategic framework.
The policy has been issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and institutionalises a pro-active, intelligence-driven, whole-of-government approach to terrorism.
Core Objective
PRAHAAR aims to:
- Prevent terrorist acts before they occur
- Ensure swift and proportionate response to attacks
- Disrupt terror ecosystems (funding, logistics, recruitment, cyber networks)
- Strengthen coordination across agencies and jurisdictions
- Address root causes of radicalisation
- Enhance international cooperation
It seeks to deny terrorists resources, legitimacy, space and operational capability.
Seven Pillars of PRAHAAR
The doctrine is structured around seven strategic pillars:
- Prevention – intelligence-led monitoring, surveillance and disruption of terror plots.
- Response – swift, calibrated and proportionate counter-action.
- Aggregation – integrated “whole-of-government” security architecture.
- Human Rights – rule-of-law based action with legal safeguards and accountability.
- Attenuation – reduce socio-economic and ideological drivers of extremism.
- Alignment – international coordination on intelligence, finance and technology.
- Recovery – institutional and societal recovery after attacks.
This structure reflects a full prevention-response-recovery cycle.
Nature of Threats Identified
The policy recognises both traditional and emerging forms of terrorism:
Conventional threats
- Cross-border and state-sponsored terrorism
- Global jihadist networks and sleeper cells
- Local support networks and overground workers
Emerging threats
- Drones for surveillance, logistics and attacks
- Social media radicalisation and propaganda
- Encrypted messaging, dark web and cryptocurrency financing
- Linkages between terrorism and organised crime
- Transnational operational coordination
The policy emphasises technology-enabled and networked terrorism as the new reality.
Institutional and Operational Measures
- Standardised counter-terror structure across central, state and district levels
- Modernisation of law-enforcement with advanced technology and intelligence tools
- Continuous disruption of terror financing and logistics chains
- Periodic updating of counter-terror laws
- Stronger inter-agency data sharing and coordination
- Expanded international partnerships against cross-border threats
The policy stresses uniform procedures and interoperable capabilities nationwide.
